Metro rail pink line inauguration on Nov 13 Karnataka Minister Gowda

Bengaluru. Nov 11 (PTI) Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the 7.5-km elevated section of the Namma Metro Pink Line would be formally inaugurated on November 13 and open to the public from 6 am on November 14, describing the launch as a milestone in the city’s push to expand its rail network.

The section, running from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere and Suddaguntepalya, is expected to connect with the Electronic City line at Jayadeva station.

Services will initially run every eight minutes, with five trains allocated to the line: four in regular service and one on standby. Fares for the new section have not yet been discussed, Gowda said.

“This is a long-awaited moment for Bengaluru residents. The Pink Line is at the happy juncture of beginning partial operations,” Gowda said at a press conference here on Wednesday.

“The 7.5-kilometre elevated section will be formally inaugurated on November 13th, and it will begin operating for public use from 6 am on the 14th,” he said.

The inauguration will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Governor Sudha Yadav and other dignitaries, he said.

The minister said the Jayadeva interchange would make the new section more useful than a standalone route, connecting passengers to the Electronic City corridor and onward journeys towards HSR Layout, Jayanagar and Whitefield.

“If this were only a 7.5-kilometre standalone line, perhaps it would not be as effective,” he said.

“But because there is an interchange at Jayadeva station, this line will be very useful.”

The connection, he added, would offer commuters from Bannerghatta Road access to the Electronic City route and other parts of the network.

The initial eight-minute frequency may be shortened after signalling has stabilised and officials assess passenger demand, Gowda said.

“First, the signalling has to improve — it has to stabilise,” he said. “We will decide in the coming days about reducing the interval, based on both these factors.”

Opening the section would take Bengaluru’s metro network to about 103 km, crossing the 100-km mark, he said.

The government’s longer-term vision was to build a network of 400 km to 500 km, while its nearer-term target was to exceed 170 km within the next 18 months. The Pink Line launch would be the first step towards that target, he said.

Further work planned for the period includes the remaining underground portion of the Pink Line, which would extend the route to Nagawara. Gowda said the complete Pink Line would comprise a 7.5-km elevated section and a 13.7-km underground section.

He also cited the Blue Line sections from Central Silk Board to Krishnarajapura, and from Krishnarajapura towards Hebbal and the airport, as key projects the government aims to advance.

The Central Silk Board–Krishnarajapura stretch is about 19.75 km, while the Krishnarajapura–airport route via Hebbal is about 38.4 km, he said. Together, the corridors would provide about 59 km of connection from Central Silk Board towards the airport.

Completing these projects within 18 months would be a “challenging target,” Gowda said, noting that work on part of the route was facing difficulties.

The minister also set out plans for the proposed Orange Line, including a roughly 32-km route from JP Nagar Fourth Phase to Hebbal and a 12.5-km link from Hosahalli to Kadabagere.

The government aims to complete tendering and begin work on the two sections within six months, he said.

A proposed 37.8-km Red Line from Sarjapur to Hebbal, with an elevated section towards St John’s and an underground section beyond it, was submitted to the Union government in January 2025, Gowda said.

The state was awaiting approval and hoped to tender the project and begin work by the end of next year if clearance was granted.

Gowda said the government would raise concerns about the inauguration timing with the Prime Minister’s Office after reporters pointed out that students sitting examinations could face difficulty reaching centres during the event.

He said officials would also speak with police about whether arrangements could be made for students.

Asked about figures cited by a reporter on central and state contributions, Gowda said he would provide documents to support his own statements and was accountable for their accuracy.

He said the state would seek a more balanced investment in Bengaluru’s transport infrastructure, arguing that the Centre should contribute alongside the state.

“Just pointing a finger at the state government and stopping there is not enough. The Centre also has to help," he said.

He also criticised what he described as repeated insults to Karnataka, saying the state contributed heavily in GST and income-tax revenue and should receive its due share.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)