Latest news with #BengaluruMetroRailCorporationLimited
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Indian Express
Alert Bengaluru Metro home guard reunites passenger with lost bag of valuables in just 30 minutes
A Bengaluru Metro passenger who lost her bag containing gold, cash, and personal belongings at a station on the Green Line received it back within 30 minutes on Friday, thanks to a home guard's quick action. As per the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Nivedita Bhat, who boarded a train towards Silk Institute from platform 2 of Mahakavi Kuvempu Road Metro station, inadvertently left her bag on a chair at the station. Manjulamma, a 40-year-old home guard with BMRCL who was stationed at the platform, noticed the unattended bag around 12.45 pm and secured it while promptly alerting assistant security officer Dhruvacharya, who escalated the matter to station controller Gavaskar Naik. On inspecting the bag, BMRCL officials discovered valuable items, including a nuptial chain worth approximately Rs 2 lakh, over Rs 2,000 in cash, an Aadhaar card, a feature phone without a SIM card, and credit and debit cards. 'Demonstrating quick thinking, the officials accessed the phone, which was in active mode, and retrieved the contact number of Bhat's friend. The officials contacted the friend, who informed Bhat to return to the…station,' a BMRCL official explained. Manjulamma, who hails from a town called Turuvukere in Tumkur district, has been associated with BMRCL as a home guard for the last four years, officials added. In 2023, BMRCL had auctioned 6,354 unclaimed items from 2018 to 2023, generating Rs 7.4 lakh. These included water bottles, helmets, lunch boxes, bags, and umbrellas, with 1,402 items from the Purple Line and 4,952 from the Green Line. Electronic gadgets, like phones, were handed over to the police for safety. BMRCL's lost-and-found process is systematic. Items are held at stations for 24 hours before being transferred to Yeshwanthpur or Baiyappanahalli stations. Passengers can report losses via the 'Grievance' section on BMRCL's website, providing item details and contact information. Unclaimed items are auctioned every six months, with details posted online for transparency. Frequently lost items include bags, jewellery, phones, and laptops, officials said. Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read More
India Today
22-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Bengaluru Metro to charge for toilet usage at 12 stations, Karnataka BJP slams move
In a move that has triggered political criticism and public concern, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has allegedly started charging commuters for the use of toilets at 12 metro stations across the city. The charges range from Rs 2 to Rs 5 and apply to toilet facilities located in the unpaid areas of the selected stations where the charges have been introduced include National College, Lalbagh, South End Circle, Jayanagar, Rashtriya Vidyalaya Road, Banashankari, Jaya Prakash Nagar, Yelachenahalli, Sir M Visvesvaraya Station-Central College, Dr B R Ambedkar Station-Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park, and Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway move comes months after the Hyderabad Metro began a similar practice and follows a fare hike by BMRCL earlier this year, prompting accusations that basic public services are being increasingly monetised. Reacting to the development, BJP state president BY Vijayendra, in a post on X, sharply criticised the Congress-led state government. 'After a brutal 71% fare hike, the @INCKarnataka government in Karnataka has stooped to a new low charging people to use toilets in the unpaid areas of 12 Bengaluru metro stations! In a city already grappling with rising costs and crumbling infrastructure, Congress has now found a way to monetize even basic human needs,' he further reminded the government of legal precedent, writing, 'Let me remind the Congress government that the Hon'ble Supreme Court has clearly ruled that access to sanitation is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution, an essential part of the right to live with dignity. But in the Congress playbook, even toilets are a revenue stream.'advertisementCondemning the policy as exploitative, Vijayendra added, 'From taxing the poor through inflated fares to now commercializing public toilets, the government has effectively turned into a legalised extortion racket. This isn't governance, it's shameless profiteering at the cost of the common citizen.'Citing the Swachh Bharat Mission spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he concluded, 'Under PM @narendramodi ji's Swachh Bharat vision, public toilets were meant to be free and accessible to all, especially in high-footfall areas like metro stations. But Congress has reduced this vision into Pay-Per-Pee politics. What next? Entry fees to breathe air in Cubbon Park?'Earlier this year, Bengaluru Metro increased fares by up to 50 per cent, triggering widespread backlash from city residents. Many voiced their frustration on social media using the hashtag '#BoycottMetro'. In response to the public outcry, the BMRCL revised the fare structure, reducing prices by up to 30 per cent. The board reviewed commuter feedback and rolled back the abnormal hike, with the revised fares coming into effect immediately. IN THIS STORY#Bengaluru
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
FIR against individuals for secretly filming women in Bengaluru Metro, posting videos on Instagram without consent
The authorities in Bengaluru have registered a case against unidentified individuals behind an Instagram account accused of uploading voyeuristic videos of women travelling on the city's Namma Metro. The account, operating under the handle 'metro\_chicks', had shared at least 14 videos taken without the knowledge or consent of women commuters before it was taken down following public outrage. The posts, which first appeared on April 11, featured close-up footage of women's bodies — often filmed as they walked or stood inside metro coaches or station platforms. The videos were typically accompanied by objectifying captions such as 'Beautiful girls of Bengaluru,' prompting widespread anger and calls for accountability. The content alarmed social media users, who flagged the posts and demanded immediate action. As the videos spread on the internet, several individuals tagged Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and city police officials, urging them to investigate the matter. Although no formal complaint was initially lodged, the Banashankari police took suo motu action and filed a case on Tuesday night. 'The incident came to light through social media, although no formal complaint had been registered initially. We have booked suo motu action and filed an FIR on Tuesday night,' Banashankari police inspector B Kotresh told HT. 'A case has been registered under Section 67 of the IT Act, 2008 and Section 78(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against unknown persons. Following police action, all posts and videos from the metro_chicks account have been deleted. We wrote to Instagram to identify the accused and would take stringent action,' he added. The name of the account itself—'Metro Chicks'—has drawn criticism for its derogatory tone and objectification of women. Authorities confirmed that the perpetrators used mobile phones to follow and discreetly record women in public spaces, highlighting a disturbing trend of digital voyeurism. The police have emphasised that sharing such content violates privacy and decency laws. Their FIR notes that these actions are in direct breach of cyber and criminal statutes designed to protect individuals from non-consensual filming and online exploitation. Online, the backlash has continued to grow. Many users have expressed outrage over the exploitative nature of the content and demanded strict legal consequences.
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
The day the Bangalore Mail steamed into town
With the southwest monsoon making landfall over the Andaman Islands last week and our beloved 4 pm rain showing up in tandem - and how! - Bengaluru's brief summer is truly done. Since we can no longer moan about the heat, we must shift our baleful gaze elsewhere; this year, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), with its interminable delays in the opening of the Yellow Line, has offered itself up for the honour. But let us leave the metro aside for a moment, and focus instead on its predecessor, the railway. 2025 marks the centenary of the first electric train in India, which ran between Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) and Kurla in Mumbai on February 3, 1925; today, close to 97% of the country's broad-gauge network, which is 97% of our entire railway network, has been electrified. Karnataka's own broad-gauge network has been 100% electrified since early 2024. Almost 75 years before the first electric train, the very first Indian passenger train, a 13-carriage beauty pulled along by three shiny steam engines named Sahib, Sultan and Sindh, puffed out of Bori Bunder station (later Victoria Terminus) on April 16, 1853, completing the 34 km distance to Thane in 57 minutes. This line, like most early railway enterprise in India, was wrought by private entrepreneurship – specifically, by Mumbai businessmen Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy and Nana Shankarsheth. 'Nothing,' exulted the venerable Times of India (estd 1838) on the occasion, 'could've been more magnificent…' In Madras Presidency, after a brief hiatus in operations, MRC began construction of the first passenger railway line between Madras (Royapuram) and Arcot (Walajahpet, now Walajah Road Jn) in 1853. On its completion in July 1856, Cubbon lost no time in petitioning MRC for a railway line between Madras Presidency and Bangalore Cantonment. His sustained advocacy won the day, and Cubbon had the pleasure of laying the foundation stone for the Bangalore Cantt station in 1859. When the Bangalore Mail steamed into Bangalore Cantt on its debut run in 1864 – the same year, incidentally, that north India got its first railway station, Delhi Junction – down the 149-km broad-gauge line from Jolarpettai, it was welcomed with great rejoicing. In the years to come, the Mail would bring trade, commerce and, inevitably, waves of new settlers into Bangalore. It would also prove invaluable in transporting relief supplies to the city during the devastating Mysore famine of 1877-78, which would claim a staggering 1,25,000 lives, a fourth of the kingdom's population. Something to think about the next time you ride the Bangalore Mail! (Roopa Pai is a writer who has carried on a longtime love affair with her hometown Bengaluru)
India Today
29-04-2025
- India Today
Bengaluru woman eats inside metro coach, fined Rs 500 after video goes viral
A woman was slapped with a Rs 500 fine for eating inside a Bengaluru Metro coach. The woman found herself at the receiving end of the internet after a video of her eating inside the coach went viral on social media. Consuming food while on board is a strict violation of Namma Metro rules. Following the violation, security personnel stepped in to impose a fine as she entered Madavara Metro Station at the NICE Road junction. advertisementIn the clip, the woman is seen eating from a tiffin she had taken out of her backpack. Watch the viral video here: According to Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), consuming food or beverages on metro trains or within the station premises is against the regulations. This policy is designed to prevent littering, maintain hygiene, and ensure a pleasant environment for all passengers. In a statement issued on Monday, BMCL said, "A regular commuter on Namma Metro from Madavara Metro Station to Magadi Road Metro Station was today fined a penalty of 500/- for violation of metro rules." It added, "She had disregarded metro rules by eating while travelling on the metro on 26th April 2025, a violation that was caught on camera by a fellow traveller and uploaded on social media." advertisement"Bengaluru Metro is a shared space, and adhering to the rules is essential for ensuring a comfortable and safe travel experience for all commuters. Passengers must remain mindful of the regulations and actively contribute to maintaining the metro environment," the statement said.
