Bengaluru
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Published: Monday, October 5, 2026, 15:14 [IST]
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and NIMHANS have launched a suicide prevention and mental health awareness campaign at major Namma Metro stations following an increase in incidents involving passengers entering the tracks, suicide attempts and accidental falls.
Posters and information boards carrying warning signs, mental health information and the Tele-MANAS helpline number 14416 have been put up at busy stations, including Majestic and Cubbon Park, as part of the initiative. The aim is to reach people who may be going through severe emotional distress and encourage them to seek help before a crisis becomes more serious.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) partnered with NIMHANS for a mental health awareness campaign at Namma Metro stations, showing Tele-MANAS helpline 14416 on posters to counter rising track incidents, with future plans for platform screen doors and a Central Silk Board travellator.
Bengaluru metro has recorded 59 track-related incidents over the past 14 years, including suicide attempts, suicide deaths, accidental falls and unauthorised track access, according to data from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL).
The campaign asks passengers to look out for signs such as anxiety, loneliness, hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. Those going through a difficult period are encouraged to speak to someone they trust and seek professional help rather than dealing with the situation alone.
The Tele-MANAS helpline, 14416, is also being displayed at the stations so passengers know where they can turn for support.
The move comes as BMRCL looks at ways to make Metro platforms safer beyond awareness campaigns. The upcoming Pink Line will have platform screen doors, which are designed to prevent passengers from accidentally or deliberately reaching the tracks.
BMRCL has also prepared a proposal estimated at Rs 1,274 crore to install platform screen doors at 177 stations across the network. However, the wider proposal does not yet have a confirmed implementation schedule.
For now, the mental health campaign is one of the measures being used at existing stations, where large crowds move through platforms every day and physical barriers are not yet available.
Meanwhile, passengers changing between Metro lines at Central Silk Board could soon have an easier connection.
BMRCL is expected to begin work on a travellator and skywalk linking the Yellow Line and Blue Line 2A stations at Central Silk Board. The civil works contract, worth Rs 55.48 crore, has been awarded to Milan Road Buildtech.
The proposed connection is intended to give passengers a direct interchange between the two corridors and reduce the amount of walking required when changing lines.
BMRCL’s engineering and planning teams will oversee the work, including the required safety and quality checks during construction.
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