Bangalore Metro: Step into the fast and flashy world of commuting

At the station
Here are some guidelines for passengers who will be heading for Mahatma Gandhi station on the day of the inauguration.

There are two entries to the station, one from Kamaraj Road and the other from Anil Kumble Road.

For the visually challenged, tactile flooring, which is rough and specified, leads to ticket counters on the right and left of the entrance. For those entering the station from Kamaraj Road, the ticket counters are at the right corner. For those entering from Anil Kumble Road, the counters are at the left corner.

Before the counters are boards displaying rate charts. They also carry info on token ticket, smart cards, their rates and validity and Metro-Bus Day pass.

For children less than 90 cms in height, no ticket is required.

Once you get the black, coin-sized token ticket, head towards the automatic fare collecting (AFC) gates. On the right is a sign for ‘token’ and ‘card’. Press the token or travel smart card sign and the green triangular gates open automatically allowing you entry into the station.

Move towards the elevator, stairway, or lifts. Lifts are only for senior citizens and physically challenged passengers. The keys to operate them are installed very low on the walls so that those on wheelchairs can easily use them. They also carry grail marks for the visually challenged.

Once you come to the concourse (first floor) of the Mahatma Gandhi Station, a stairway leads you to the platform level and the skywalk entrance from the Plaza side.

At the entrance, are ticketing counters at the ground level. Work at the Plaza side entry will be completed by December. Trinity, Halasuru and Indirangar stations do not have any ticketing counters at the ground floor. There, AFC gates are on the concourse.

On the ground floor and concourse, there are wide LCD screens which display the time of the arrival of the next three trains on the respective platform. Display board towards Platform 1 for trains heading to Byappanahalli will display arrival times of three trains from MG Road. And on Platform 2, trains from Byappanahalli will arrive and the display screens will show information about the next three trains from Byappanahalli.

Over to the platform

Once you enter the platform, you will notice a sharp yellow line. This is the line beyond which you are not allowed to step because of safety reason. Security officials will be posted on the platform to see that passengers do not overstep it. Metro is powered by a third rail system which runs parallel to the tracks and supplies power to the rail. This third rail will always be charged and there are chances of electrocution if passengers do not follow safety rules.

‘Up’ platform is the one for trains from MG Road towards Byappanahalli and ‘Down’ platform is for trains from Byappanahalli towards MG Road. The station is long enough to accommodate six car trains which can be planned once the demand for metro ride increases.

There are six CCTV cameras on the platform. Many more are installed at the entrance gates and on each floor of the station and also in the drivers’ cabin through which he can get an inside view of the train.

There are two emergency trip systems on each platform. These are switches to shut down power and stop the trains at once in case of emergency. People can break the glass cover and pull the key to stop the entire system.

Two screens are installed at the ends of each platform. These act as rear glass for engine drivers. Because of this facility, drivers can keep the carriage doors open if a passenger happens to be rushing into the train.

Space for passengers on wheelchair is behind the driver’s cabin so that in case of emergency, the driver can get the passenger out of the train. There is an emergency handle atop the doorway behind the cabin which can be pulled to open the door if does not open during emergency.

There are smoke detectors inside the trains. Smoking is also banned inside the stations.

There is a customer care or excess fare office beside the AFC gates at the station entrance where one can recharge the smart card or check if the token is working.

The token or smart card has an electronic chip which deducts the fare when swiped. One has to return the token by dropping it in the token slot at the AFC gate while coming out of the station.

There is an electronic machine to check the balance in the card outside the customer care room. Here, one can place the token or the card to see the value of currency stored in it. Even if there is only bare minimum balance in the smart card, it will still allow you to travel but deduct the fare once you recharge it.