Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s metro network is set to cross the 100-km mark after the elevated section of the Pink Line received crucial safety authorisation from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS), Southern Circle, on Wednesday. However, the date on which the 7.5-km Kalena Agrahara–Tavarekere corridor will open for public service remains uncertain.

The clearance marks a major step towards expanding metro connectivity along Bannerghatta Road and taking Bengaluru’s total metro network to 103.6 km. The expansion would also put the city ahead of Mumbai in terms of metro network length, making Bengaluru the second-largest metro network in India, according to the report.

Confusion over inauguration date

Earlier on Wednesday, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Bengaluru on November 15 and was likely to inaugurate the elevated Pink Line.

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda also indicated that the corridor could open in mid-November. He said he planned to meet Union ministers in early November to seek an early date for the inauguration.

However, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is awaiting a formal date from the Union government before beginning public operations.

In a post on social media on Wednesday evening, Gowda said the state was ready to launch services once the Centre provided an inauguration date. He added that the government had already written to the Centre requesting a date and was looking forward to opening the elevated section.

November 3 also emerges as a possibility

Sources familiar with the matter have not ruled out the possibility of the Prime Minister inaugurating the Bengaluru corridor on November 3. Modi is scheduled to inaugurate Pune Metro’s Line 3 on that date, raising the possibility of the Bengaluru project being included in his programme.

However, no confirmed inauguration date had been announced as of Wednesday evening. The corridor’s opening will depend on the formal decision of the Union government.

The safety authorisation is a key milestone, but it does not, by itself, establish when passenger services will begin. Commuters travelling along Bannerghatta Road will have to await an official announcement from the authorities.

Six stations to improve Bannerghatta Road connectivity

The elevated Pink Line stretch covers 7.5 km between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere and includes six stations:

  • Kalena Agrahara
  • Hulimavu
  • IIMB
  • JP Nagar 4th Phase
  • Jayadeva Hospital
  • Tavarekere

The corridor is expected to improve access to residential neighbourhoods, educational institutions and healthcare facilities along the Bannerghatta Road belt. The stations will also provide metro access to areas that have faced growing traffic pressure as Bengaluru’s population and commuting needs have expanded.

The inclusion of IIM Bengaluru and Jayadeva Hospital among the stations is expected to make the line useful for students, staff, patients and visitors, in addition to daily commuters travelling between southern Bengaluru and other parts of the city.

Bengaluru metro network nears a major milestone

Bengaluru’s first metro line began operations 15 years ago. Since then, the network has expanded in phases to serve an increasing number of commuters across the city.

The elevated Pink Line section will take the overall network to 103.6 km, crossing the 100-km milestone. The expansion is also expected to strengthen public transport connectivity in southern Bengaluru and provide commuters with an alternative to road travel.

Although the safety clearance has brought the corridor closer to becoming operational, uncertainty over the inauguration date remains the immediate concern. The state government has said it is ready to begin public services, while the formal date is awaited from the Centre.

For commuters, the next key development will be the official announcement confirming when the Kalena Agrahara–Tavarekere section will open to passengers.