Bengaluru's namma metro hits nearly 10 lakh footfalls in a day amid rcb celebrations

Bengaluru's namma metro hits nearly 10 lakh footfalls in a day amid rcb celebrations

Namma Metro registered its highest-ever daily ridership on June 4, with 9,66,732 commuters boarding trains across the city, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) confirmed on Thursday. The sharp spike came as tens of thousands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans descended upon central Bengaluru for the IPL victory celebrations — pushing the metro system to its limits.

Here is the breakdown

According to BMRCL data, the Purple Line alone accounted for 4,78,334 passengers, while the Green Line served 2,84,674 commuters. The city’s busiest interchange — Kempegowda Station at Majestic — recorded an overwhelming footfall of 2,03,724 passengers.

The previous record stood at 9,08,153 boardings on April 17, making this week’s figure the new all-time high in the metro’s operational history. The surge in footfall comes just months after ridership had briefly dipped due to fare hikes in February, sparking concerns about affordability and accessibility.

Officials attributed the dramatic rise in usage to the public frenzy surrounding the RCB’s IPL win — the franchise's first title since the league’s inception. Thousands of fans made their way to the city centre, especially around the Vidhana Soudha and M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, leading to packed metro compartments and overcrowded stations.

Central Business District (CBD) stations — including Cubbon Park, MG Road, Vidhana Soudha, and Sir M. Visvesvaraya — saw the most significant uptick, contributing heavily to the historic numbers, BMRCL said in a press release.

However, the celebrations turned grim on Tuesday evening when a stampede-like situation unfolded near Chinnaswamy Stadium, resulting in the death of 11 people and injuries to several others. The massive crowds overwhelmed security arrangements, forcing police to resort to a lathi-charge to control the swelling numbers.

In response to the chaotic scenes, BMRCL temporarily suspended metro operations at Cubbon Park and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Vidhana Soudha stations from 4:30 PM onwards on Tuesday. The move was aimed at ensuring commuter safety and easing congestion in the CBD.

Metro services at both stations were restored on Wednesday after a brief pause, and officials urged commuters to continue using alternate stations if crowding persists.