The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) has announced that Namma Metro has achieved a milestone by surpassing the 100 crore ridership mark, more than 12 years after its inception. The milestone was achieved on December 29, 2023. In December 2023 alone, the BMRCL is reported to have recorded a footfall of over two crore, which is said to be the highest monthly ridership for Bengaluru Metro since its launch.

Bengaluru’s first metro line was launched in 2012 and was the purple line stretch between Baiyappanahalli and MG Road. According to the BMRCL, the 6.7-kilometre stretch was widely used by the public, ticking an average daily ridership of 33,152 commuters during its first year of operations. 

Later in 2016, the Majestic metro station was also opened on the purple line, which soon went on to become one of the busiest metro stations in the city, connecting other busy lines such as Jayanagar, Mysore Road and Baiyappanahalli. Soon, the average daily ridership crossed 1 lakh passengers. 

Despite the footfall taking a major hit during the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020-21, the ridership drastically improved the following year. 

The opening of the two much-awaited metro line stretches between Baiyappanahalli – KR Puram and Kengeri – Challaghatta, on October 20, 2023, was lauded by the city’s commuters, who finally got a respite from the daily traffic, further increasing the daily metro ridership.