Bengaluru Metro Yellow Line may boost health, reduce pollution exposure: IISc study

3 min readBengaluruJun 4, 2026 06:02 PM IST

The IISc data found that 83 per cent of commuters expressed willingness to adopt the Metro as a means of transport, indicating a desire for sustainable public transport. (Express/ File pic)

The Bengaluru Metro’s Yellow Line could potentially have positive effects on health and quality of life for the thousands of commuters who use it everyday, according to a study backed by Biocon and released by a team from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru.

The report, titled ‘Assessing the Impact of Yellow Line Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) System on Public Health and Quality of Life: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Perspective,’ involved an examination of 600 commuters and residents near the Yellow line, with surveys before and after the line was operationalised.

The data analysis from the IISc team found 83 per cent expressed willingness to adopt the Metro as a means of transport, indicating a desire for sustainable public transport.

The IISc team also indicated that it would help improve physical activity by adding 10 to 15 minutes of daily walking to the commute, in the context of a city where 58 per cent of respondents reported zero physical activity.

Findings also indicated that walkers outside the Metro and two-wheeler drivers were exposed to the highest levels of PM 2.5 contaminants, which the Metro would protect them from. Another factor was that two-wheeler commuters would otherwise be at a higher risk of suffering accidents. The report also found that once the Metro was initialised, commuters reported less fatigue and better work-life balance.

On the other hand, the report also found that amongst the 17 per cent who were not initially willing to use the Metro, affordability was a concern for those families who earned less than Rs 30,000 per month. It also pointed out that for distances of 10 km-20 km, the fare in Bengaluru is 3-4 times as high as in other Metro systems, like in Kolkata. Further, last-mile connectivity was an issue for those commuters who live 2 kilometres or more from a Metro station.

Professor Ashish Verma, who led the IISc team, said regarding the report, “..the agenda of shared, electric and active modes should be looked at not just in terms of sustainable mobility intervention but also on core development goals of liveability and well-being.”

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In terms of final policy recommendations to the authorities, the report called for affordable fare policies to improve Metro accessibility alongside last-mile services, including pedestrian infrastructure to reach the Metro stations safely.

Alongside public health goals in transport planning, the report also recommended that Metro should be promoted as a sustainable means of transport, which would also reduce exposure to heat and air pollution.