Namma Metro’s Pink Line deadline pushed to 2026

Metro passageway enactment successful advancement adjacent Bamboo Bazaar presumption successful Bengaluru connected May 12, 2025. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

The city’s much-anticipated Namma Metro Pink Line, initially expected to beryllium operational successful 2020 and past pushed to December 2025, volition erstwhile again miss the deadline.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) present says the corridor volition go functional successful 2 stages — the elevated conception stretching 7.5 km betwixt Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere volition unfastened by March 2026, portion the 13.8-km underground conception from Dairy Circle to Nagawara is slated for completion by September 2026.

The Pink Line, spanning a full of 21.3 km, is portion of Phase 2 of the city’s metro web expansion. It aims to link the confederate constituent of Kalena Agrahara connected Bannerghatta Road with Nagawara connected the Outer Ring Road successful the bluish portion of the city.

According to BMRCL officials, the alignment includes 13.8 km of underground way and 7.5 km of elevated viaduct.

The BMRCL had floated the tender for the operation of the 7.5 km of the elevated agelong successful 2017.

Delay owed to underground work

Despite disposable advancement successful laying tracks and undertaking civilian works connected parts of the line, officials person acknowledged that the underground information posed important engineering challenges.

The tunnelling process, they said, was particularly arduous owing to Bengaluru’s rocky terrain. “The ungraded conditions see ample granite and dolerite boulders. While granite is already highly hard, dolerite is adjacent much hard to drill through,” a elder authoritative said.

One of the astir important segments of the Pink Line has been the 2.2-km agelong betwixt Shivajinagar and Vellara. The complexity of tunnelling successful this agelong delayed the advancement significantly, contributing to the repeated rescheduling of task timelines, according to the official.

In October 2024, BMRCL achieved a large milestone by completing tunnelling works for what is present the city’s longest underground metro corridor. Although the underground conception measures 14 km successful length, the tunnelling enactment extended to 21 km owing to the twin-tunnel system.

Frustration grows among commuters

For galore Bengaluru residents, the Pink Line remains a long-promised solution to the city’s worsening postulation woes. Commuters who regularly question betwixt the city’s northern, confederate zones, and Central Business District (CBD) country are increasing impatient implicit the changeless postponements.

“Every hold means different twelvemonth stuck successful postulation for 2 hours a day. I had hoped to beryllium utilizing the Pink Line by now. We request accountability, not conscionable revised deadlines,” said Nandita Rao, a nonmigratory of Bannerghatta Road whose workplace is connected M.G. Road.

Ravi Chandrashekhar, a nonmigratory of Pottery Town, said, “I person to question to Bannerghatta Road each time for enactment since my bureau is located there. Right now, I beryllium wholly connected my bike. If the Pink Line becomes operational, it volition marque my beingness overmuch easier. It feels similar BMRCL keeps making promises lone to interruption them later. The authorities needs to dainty this with the urgency it deserves. The metropolis is choking, and we’re inactive waiting for the connectivity that was promised 5 years ago.”

Train accumulation for Pink Line connected track 

Meanwhile, regarding the trains for this line, successful August 2023, the Bengaluru-based nationalist assemblage portion BEML Ltd. secured a declaration to manufacture and support 318 metro coaches (53 trainsets) implicit 15 years. This included 96 coaches designated for the Pink Line, and 222 coaches for the Blue Line — which covers Phase 2A and 2B extensions.

Adding to the fleet, successful March 2025, BMRCL awarded BEML Ltd. an further bid for 7 much trainsets specifically for the Pink Line. BEML Ltd. has committed to delivering a prototype bid by June 2025, a important measurement earlier full-scale deployment tin begin.

Published - May 13, 2025 11:23 p.m. IST