BMRCL Managing Director J Ravishankar has proceeded on leave, days after a significant disruption on the Purple Line halted metro services for over five hours on June 23, followed by a 17-minute delay on the same stretch two days later.
Disruption timeline
On June 23, metro services on a key section of the Purple Line were shut for more than five hours, causing widespread inconvenience to commuters. Two days later, on June 25, train operations on the same stretch experienced a 17-minute delay.
Official response
According to BMRCL officials, Ravishankar's leave is unrelated to the disruption and was planned earlier. However, the development has raised questions about accountability following the service failures.
“The leave was pre-scheduled and is not a reaction to the recent incidents,” a BMRCL spokesperson said.
Impact on commuters
The Purple Line is one of Bengaluru's busiest metro corridors, carrying thousands of passengers daily. The June 23 shutdown affected over 1.5 lakh commuters, according to BMRCL estimates.
Commuters expressed frustration over the lack of timely communication and alternative arrangements during the disruption.
Next steps
BMRCL has initiated an internal inquiry into the causes of the disruption and delay. The findings are expected to be submitted within two weeks.
Ravishankar's tenure as MD has seen several infrastructure upgrades, but recent operational issues have drawn criticism from passenger advocacy groups.
