Sleek Metro for India’s “Silicon Valley” Cuts Congestion and Smog

Amidst the smog and noise of Bangalore rush hour traffic, video cameras record a man and woman in neighboring lanes locking eyes from a distance. The sea of vehicles moves so slowly that they have time to pay visits to each other’s car, court, marry, and have their first child – before they get home. 

It's one of several parodies to have emerged in recent years, as part of an effort to translate widespread frustration into comedy. Another video depicts a couple trying to get to the maternity ward but are too late: the woman gives birth to a boy...who grows up in the traffic jam. 

The videos may be over the top, but the chronic congestion that they critique is all too real. Bangalore is the fourth most most-gridlocked city in the world after Bogota, Bucharest and Manila, with drivers losing more than 100 hours stuck in rush hour traffic in 2022. 

Known as “India’s Silicon Valley,” Bangalore is fast becoming a victim of its own success.

As a major 21st century tech hub, it has attracted talent from all over the country and beyond, seeing its population double to 14 million in the past 20 years. And the cracks are beginning to show. 

“With this growth come certain drawbacks,” says Parvez Anjum, Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation. “The city's infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with the increasing number of residents and vehicles, leading to congestion and longer commute times.” 

Further reading: AFD and India: Focus on urban transport 

With such rapid demographic growth, people are travelling greater distances and those without the means – or patience – to commute by car, are dependent on an overstretched public transport system. 

"Traveling by bus is exhausting, especially for the elderly,” says Anand Kannan, a commuter who used a feeder bus to the metro station. “It's hot, crowded, and uncomfortable. The metro should be more widespread, especially in busy areas." 

The launch of Namma Metro (meaning “our metro” in the local Kannada language), is a crucial step towards mitigating the city's growing transportation challenges. It aims to provide a faster alternative to road travel and reduce pollution.

Further reading: Find out more about the Bangalore Metro 

Cleaner air, faster commutes

“With the metro, we can cut down those long 1-2 hour commutes that so many of us face in Bangalore,” says Sarvjeet Singh, who lives in Whitefield, one of the tech hotspots of the city.  

“It’s a game-changer—allowing people to live farther from work without worrying about traffic. The metro’s air-conditioned, efficient, and lets you travel long distances quickly and comfortably, making daily life much easier."

Air-conditioned metros are a lifesaver for older commuters, who are particularly vulnerable to the heat waves and rising temperatures tied to climate change. 

The venture began in 2008, between Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the Indian Government and the state of Karnataka, and beginning in 2013, was backed by AFD loans amounting to €310 million. 

Safer public transport

Ridership in July exceeded 23 million, and the metro will serve even more people this year, with the opening of two more lines, extending coverage to more than 70 kilometers in and around Bangalore. 

Planners have addressed commuters' concerns, particularly regarding safety and comfort. "For women, safety is crucial,” says Priyanka, a commuter (who would only give her first name).

“When we travel by bus and arrive late, our families worry. But in the metro, I feel safe, especially with the dedicated ladies' compartment. It provides us with the privacy and security we need."  

Further reading: the Link between gender equality and safe public transportation

For the BMRCL and the central and state governments, reducing emissions and their impact on people's health remains an abiding priority. Their efforts to ensure that Bangalore’s growth is less carbon-dependent and more sustainable are bearing fruit: so far, more than 150 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions are avoided yearly, a number that will rise as the metro system expands.

Reduced emissions will result in improved air quality not only for commuters, but for everyone in and around Bangalore. In this way, Bangalore sets an example for other expanding cities, showing that well-planned infrastructural improvements can ease the pressures of urbanization and improve city dwellers’ quality of life. 

“Namma Metro has become much more than a metro for Bangaloreans,” says Anjum Parvez, Managing Director of BMRCL. “It is a lifeline.”