Namma Metro's Purple Line: A Chain Caused This Halt — But What Explains 20 Disruptions Since 2024?

Published 27 June 2026 · local

Namma Metro's Purple Line: A Chain Caused This Halt — But What Explains 20 Disruptions Since 2024? Published By, Last Updated: June 27, 2026, 07:30

Namma Metro's Purple Line: A Chain Caused This Halt — But What Explains 20 Disruptions Since 2024? Published By, Last Updated: June 27, 2026, 07:30 IST A metal chain jammed a train door at Cubbon Park on June 25 — but BMRCL's own data shows the Purple Line has seen 20 disruptions since 2024. The Cubbon Park incident was the second disruption on the corridor within a week, coming two days after a June 23 breakdown. (X) A commuter’s metal chain lodged in a train door guideway brought Namma Metro’s Purple Line to a brief halt at Cubbon Park station on June 25 evening, BMRCL confirmed after a preliminary investigation. The disruption, lasting 18 minutes between 7.36pm and 7.54pm, triggered overcrowding across multiple stations during peak hours — and reignited questions about the Purple Line’s reliability. BMRCL’s Operations and Maintenance teams found no technical malfunction in the train or its door operating system. The chain had jammed the guideway, preventing doors from closing and forcing the train to a standstill until the obstruction was cleared.

Genzz, gayshits, plz take care of your shivajinagar items, and dont cause Bengaluru metro to halt operation for this 20rs item.-Namma Metro pic.twitter.com/j46ZAWstn2 — Citizens Movement, Bengaluru South (@BLRsouth01) June 26, 2026 The clarification is significant: it rules out mechanical failure as the cause, but does little to address the broader pattern of disruptions that has put the Purple Line under scrutiny. The Cubbon Park incident was the second disruption on the corridor within a week, coming two days after a June 23 breakdown attributed to a fault in the Current Collector Device (CCD) that left thousands stranded across multiple stations. How Many Times Has Namma Metro Broken Down? The Purple Line has recorded the highest number of disruptions across the Namma Metro network, according to Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, who this week wrote to Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda seeking a comprehensive audit of BMRCL’s operations and maintenance practices. Surya cited 20 reported technical faults and service disruptions across the network since January 2024, calling the frequency of breakdowns a concern for passenger safety and institutional accountability.

Is BMRCL Spending Enough On Maintenance? That is precisely what makes the pattern harder to explain. BMRCL’s operations and maintenance expenditure has risen 133 per cent — from Rs 262.94 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 613.51 crore in 2023-24. Surya noted that despite this sharp increase, commuters continue to face repeated service failures while paying among the highest metro fares in the country. What Has The MP Demanded? Surya has asked BMRCL to make public its inspection records, maintenance logs and audit findings for the past 12 months, along with details of how frequently third rail infrastructure — including bolts, fasteners and alignment components — is inspected and whether those checks are conducted in-house or outsourced. He has also demanded that the Root Cause Analysis report on the June 23 CCD failure be placed in the public domain, with a clear action-taken report outlining timelines for improvement. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Sumedha Kirti Sumedha Kirti is a Chief Sub Editor with over eight years of experience — both at the desk and reporting.