The 7.5 km elevated stretch pushes Namma Metro’s operational network beyond 100 km for the first time; passenger services start on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first stretch of Bengaluru Metro’s Pink Line on Friday, November 13, and took a ride on the new section with Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The elevated section links Kalena Agrahara in the south with Tavarekere, and is the first part of the 21 km Pink Line to open. It will be open to the public from November 14.

The Inauguration and the Ride

Modi arrived at the HAL airport in Bengaluru on Friday morning, where Shivakumar received him. According to the schedule, the Prime Minister flagged off the Pink Line at around 12:45 pm at Tavarekere station and rode the metro to IIM Bangalore station. The visit began with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Prashanti Kutiram in Bengaluru, and it included a visit to Mysuru later in the day. The Bengaluru Traffic Police imposed curbs and diversions on several roads, including parts of Bannerghatta Road, around the PM’s route.

The Pink Line Stretch: What to Know

• Length and cost: About 7.5 km, built at a cost of roughly Rs 3,470 crore. One report puts the length at 7.2 km.
• Type: Elevated.
• Stations (six): Kalena Agrahara, Hulimavu, IIMB (Bilekahalli), JP Nagar 4th Phase, Jayadeva Hospital and Tavarekere.
• Interchange: Jayadeva Hospital connects with the Yellow Line.
• Opening for passengers: From 6 am on November 14, according to the state government.
• Network: With this stretch, Namma Metro’s operational network crosses the 100 km mark for the first time.

The Pink Line is planned to run between Kalena Agrahara and Nagawara, with an underground section in the city centre. Reports say the underground section, which includes MG Road where the Pink Line meets the Purple Line, is expected to open around 2027.

A Long Wait

The opening comes after repeated delays. The elevated section was first expected by December 2025, and it was later pushed to mid-2026 and then to December 2026. The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety granted safety clearance on October 28. The state government announced the inauguration date on November 2, after Shivakumar wrote to the Prime Minister seeking a date for the opening.

Shivakumar’s Remarks

Ahead of the visit, Shivakumar said the state had done a great job but acknowledged that much more remained to be done. He and the Centre have had friction over metro projects before. When the Yellow Line was inaugurated in August 2025, Shivakumar, then Deputy Chief Minister, said that the state had borne 80 to 90 per cent of the project’s cost, while the Centre’s share was about 20 per cent, and that the Prime Minister had been invited out of respect. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya had earlier alleged delays in opening that line, and Shivakumar replied that safety could not be rushed.

Other Projects Launched in Karnataka

The Prime Minister’s visit covers projects worth over Rs 15,600 crore. Besides the Pink Line, they include:

• Vande Bharat: The Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express, connecting Hassan, Sakleshpur, Mangaluru, Udupi, Murdeshwar, Gokarna and Karwar before reaching Madgaon in Goa.
• Rail electrification: With the completion of the work, the whole Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail route will be electrified.
• Rail doubling: The 45 km Bagalkot-Wandal section, part of the 284 km Gadag-Hospet doubling project, which is also expected to help coal supply to the Kudgi NTPC plant.
• Amrit Bharat stations: Four redeveloped stations at Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road.
• Energy: A renewable energy transmission scheme (Phase II) in Koppal-II and Gadag-II, built at about Rs 4,450 crore, and the foundation stone for a GAIL compressed biogas plant at Haralakunte in Bengaluru.
• LPG storage: The country’s largest underground LPG storage facility, at Mangaluru.

The Prime Minister’s programme continues in Gujarat on Saturday.

Why the Pink Line Matters

The line serves the southern parts of the city, including areas along Bannerghatta Road and JP Nagar, which have had few metro options. Officials say the new stretch is meant to ease daily commutes and shorten travel times. Its full benefit will depend on the underground section and on feeder connections to the rest of the network, which are not yet complete.

What to Watch Next

The key developments are ridership on the first days of service from Saturday, the timeline for the underground section, and progress on the other lines, including the Blue Line. Fare and timing details from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited will be released ahead of opening.

 

© Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Vygr Media.