Bengaluru Metro’s Yellow Line fails to ease Hosur Road congestion

Bengaluru: Namma Metro's Yellow Line, designed to reduce traffic congestion on Hosur Road and improve connectivity to Electronics City, has not achieved the desired impact so far.

Despite its launch, traffic snarls persist, and commuters continue to face long delays on one of the city's busiest corridors. Data from traffic police reveals the 12-km corridor between BTM Layout and Electronics City on Hosur Road which runs parallel to the Metro line remains heavily congested.



The route, used by interstate buses and daily travellers, sees an average daily congestion length of over 60km. In July, the month before the inauguration, the daily average congestion stood at 65.2km.

Post-launch, from Aug 11 to Sept 11, congestion stood at 61.7km – a marginal drop that falls far short of expectations. While the Yellow Line has attracted a substantial number of commuters, pushing Bengaluru's Metro ridership past the 1 million mark, this has not translated into measurable relief on the roads.

Commuters point to poor frequency and limited connectivity as major hurdles. Trains on the Yellow Line run every 19 minutes, forcing passengers to wait long periods between services.

Arpit Shrivastava, a tech professional living in Kudlu Gate, said: "The Metro's frequency is too low. If I miss a train, I waste 25 minutes, now 19 minutes, waiting for the next one. Getting to the station on time is a hassle without reliable transport options. I prefer using an office cab or bike taxi over the Yellow Line."

Rishab Mehta, another software professional, said: "Lack of parking facilities and high auto fares are major barriers. First and last-mile connectivity are big issues. That's why we still see congestion along the road."

Officials from Bengaluru Metropolitan Transportation Corporation (BMTC) confirmed feeder services to Yellow Line stations are overcrowded.