The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has made arrangements to extend metro train services on January 17, in light of the India-Afghanistan T20 cricket tournament held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The final T20I cricket match of the ongoing series between India and Afghanistan is expected to draw a large crowd, prompting the extension of metro service timings.
To cater to cricket fans attending the highly anticipated T20 match, BMRCL has decided to prolong train service timings from four terminal metro stations on both the Purple and Green lines until 11:45 pm on January 17. This initiative aims to alleviate congestion of private vehicles near the match venue and facilitate the smooth movement of spectators.
To enhance passenger convenience during the extended match hours, BMRCL is offering special return journey paper tickets. These tickets will be available for purchase at all metro stations starting from 2:00 pm onwards on January 17. The paper tickets will enable a single journey from Cubbon Park and MG Road Metro Station to any other metro station between 8:00 pm and 11:45 pm on the same day.
Commuters also have the option to purchase QR code tickets, which come with a 5% discount on regular fares if bought on the day of the match. QR code tickets can be obtained through various channels, including WhatsApp, the Namma Metro App, or PayTM. Additionally, smart cards and NCMC cards will remain valid for use as usual. However, it’s important to note that only QR tickets, smart cards, and paper tickets will be accepted at Cubbon Park and MG Road Metro stations during the extended hours.
The India vs. Afghanistan T20 match will be broadcast on the Sports 18 network and live-streamed on JioCinema, starting from 7 pm (IST) onwards. According to Google’s win probability, India has an 84 percent chance of winning the match, and various predictions suggest that India is likely to secure a 3-0 series win, irrespective of whether they bat first or second. Cricket enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the final match of the series, and the metro extension is designed to facilitate the movement of spectators to and from the venue.