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Last Sunday (10/30) I took my first ride in the Namma Metro (Bangalore Metro), "Namma" means "ours" in Kannada.
I reached the Indiranagar Metro station on day with cloudy skills and a chill in the air.
The security staff at the station were polite and helpful.
After climbing a flight of stairs instead of the elevator (part of the fitness regime) I reached the ticket booking counter.
The woman at the counter was polite and efficient and I got an electronic token for 12 rupees to reach M.G.Road.
The ticket costs were clearly displayed at the booking in counter in English, Hindi and Kannada.
The station was spick and span and it will win hands down against any Singapore metro station.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Spick and span platforms, Green dustbins collect litter"]
[/caption]The design of the station is impressive and uses natural lighting and ventilation.
The roofs are beautiful and symmetrically fitted to give a feeling of levitation.
[caption id="attachment_179" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Picture of the arched roof of the Indiranagar Station"]
[/caption][caption id="attachment_180" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The well dressed security guard at the Indiranagar Metro Station"]
[/caption]I swiped my electronic token to enter the platform to be greeted by an almost deserted problem.
When I entered the train I found it filled with people from the outskirts of Bangalore (read surrounding rural areas) who had boarded the train at the earlier station (Bypannahalli) to experience their first metro ride.
The video panels in the train advertised tourism in Karnataka and also flashed the next station's name.
People were well-mannered and no one littered , and the passengers made most of their metro train ride; from
The video panels in the train advertised tourism in Karnataka and also flashed the next station's name.
People were well-mannered and no one littered , and the passengers made most of their metro train ride; from
our elevated world we could see the grime and dust of Bangalore .
The ride came to an end after a stop at Ulsoor (Hulsooru), Trinity Church and finally M.G. Road the final destination.
I had to drop the electronic token into a slot to get out of the MG Road Station, there was a small bottleneck here but polite attendants helped people to move out of the station quickly after depositing their token.
The MG Road Metro Station was clean and dressed up to receive us, the exit signs were well-marked and the crowd dissolved in minutes.
The MG Road Metro Station was clean and dressed up to receive us, the exit signs were well-marked and the crowd dissolved in minutes.
[caption id="attachment_181" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="My first view of the Metro Train as it rolls in the Indiranagar Station. "]
[/caption]After shopping in the Kaveri Arts and Crafts Emporium at M.G.Road I returned to the M.G. road Station.
There was a huge crowd to get into the station similar to the people who stand in line to buy tickets for a cricket match, India's favourite sport.
The skies opened up and it was rain again, Bangalore was fantastic in the wet weather and the air had the whiff of fresh earth .
I decided to reach back Indiranagar by road rather than join the crowd for the return journey.
[caption id="attachment_183" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Eager Crowds waiting to enter the MG Road Station for the Metro Ride"]
[/caption] Bangalore/Bengaluru now is elevated to the status of a Global City,
Namma Metro will transform the way people commute and live in Bangalore/Bengaluru .
Welcome Elevated Bangalore, good work Namma Metro Team.
Welcome to the Global City of Bengaluru.
