#2: Purple Line

An unfinished line is something that does not connect points. Points can be anything, it can be structures, places or emotions. It can be all as well, like the Bengaluru Metro Lines.

The Purple line of Bengaluru Metro too had remained unfinished for a very long time. For the past many months, it has had many inauguration dates and every time it teasingly reinforced the dictum “Patience is a virtue”. Through gritted teeth, one could always smile at being able to handle extreme disappointment and walk away!

I, like every other commuter, was in agony awaiting the opening of the metro line. I used to board the metro, get down at KR Puram, take the feeder bus to Baiyyapanahalli and continued my onward journey. The feeder bus dutifully connected the two stations of KR Puram and Baiyyapanahalli, where the work was still pending, thus maintaining a dicey relationship.

The feeder bus awaits for passengers until it is full and thus optimises each trip between the stations. All you can do is simply wait and wonder how much time can be saved, had the metro line connected the two stations. One can easily bet that every passenger in the bus would be thinking the same. You can even look around and meet someone’s eyes and agree! I sometimes find the next seat taken by a vociferous complainant. There is a strange camaraderie amongst the passengers of this feeder bus.

On a particular day, I did not have 20 Rs for the feeder bus ticket and guiltily handed over a 200 Rs note. Betrayal and dismay was wrought in the face of the bus conductor who threw the QR code scanner onto my lap. I was relieved and was about to scan the QR code when I realised that many in the bus shared my calamity. The bus conductor roared for passing the scanner while I had barely enabled my camera. The passenger next to me shielded me and told the other passengers to wait while I hurried with my payment. I smiled gratefully at her. In the next 20 mins to our destination we chatted. I commented my thoughts in Malayalam and she shared her share in Telugu. This is a beautiful city! When we reached Baiyyapannahalli, she faded away into the crowd.

A few weeks ago, the Purple Line of Bengaluru Metro opened and commenced operations. It felt eerily comfortable now that I could complete my journey in one stretch. One day I was commuting in the metro and as I reached KR Puram, I realized that I missed the feeder bus conversations.

At the next station a crowd of people entered the train, an elderly person who was sitting next to me got up and offered her seat to another elderly person, who boarded the train. I decided to get up, I called out to her and asked her to take my seat. She said she does not mind standing. I smiled and said that I insisted. She smiled back at me and thanked me. As she sat, I came further and found a spot to stand.

A little while later, somebody tapped at my shoulder. He pointed to someone else who pointed to the lady. She shouted at me if I wanted to sit as her station was arriving. I smiled and gestured to her that I am getting down too. We both laughed. So did the intermediaries.

We got down and she said thanks to me again before fading away into the crowd.

Illustrated by Dileep Mohanan