PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Yellow Line, Bengaluru metro network expands to 96 km

Indian Express

a day ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday inaugurated Bengaluru metro's Yellow Line covering a distance of 19km, connecting RV Road to Bommasandra via Electronic City.
Modi also undertook a metro train ride from RV Road (Ragigudda) metro station to Electronic City with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, central ministers and other local parliamentarians and legislators. The Yellow Line has 16 stations and has been built at a cost of Rs 7,160 crore.
The prime minister Sunday also laid the foundation stone of the Bengaluru metro's Phase-3 project worth over Rs 15,610 crore.
The total route length of the project will be more than 44 km with 31 elevated stations. This infrastructure project is estimated to be completed by the end of 2029. Phase 3 will primarily serve underserved areas along Magadi Road and the western portion of the Outer Ring Road (ORR).
According to sources, the 19-km ride on Bengaluru Metro's Yellow Line between RV Road and Bommasandra is likely to cost Rs 60 when commercial operations commence on August 11. Yellow Line operations will begin with three trains, stopping at all stations, running every 25 minutes. According to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) authorities, this will amount to around 72 trips in each direction daily, with 18 hours of service and a passenger capacity of around 2 lakh per day. The corridor runs through major tech hubs housing companies like Infosys, Wipro, Biocon, Delta, and Tech Mahindra, and will improve connectivity to residential areas, hospitals, educational institutions, and industrial zones on Hosur Road. It is also expected to ease traffic congestion at the infamous Silk Board junction.
Credit war breaks out
The inauguration of Bengaluru Metro's Yellow Line also triggered a political face-off, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar accusing the Union government of contributing very little towards the city's flagship infrastructure project, while the BJP claims otherwise.
Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka government has borne 87.37 per cent of the cost for the metro, with the Centre's share being just 12.63 per cent. 'Although it was agreed that both governments would invest in a 50:50 ratio, the Centre's funds, other than equity, have come in the form of loans, which must be repaid with interest by the state and the metro corporation. This means the burden on the state is 87.37 per cent,' he said after the inauguration of the Yellow Line.
He pointed out that the state has so far spent Rs 25,387 crore on Phases 1, 2, 2A, 2B, and 3, along with Rs 3,987 crore for loan repayment, totalling Rs 59,139 crore in allocations. The Centre, he said, has released only Rs 7,468.86 crore from its treasury. The CM appealed to PM Modi to increase central support, stressing that Bengaluru's growth is critical for the nation's economy. 'We request the central government to prioritise Karnataka just like it prioritises Maharashtra and Gujarat,' he said.
Deputy CM Shivakumar reiterated the charge, stating that the state's share for Namma Metro was 80 per cent compared to the Centre's 20 per cent. 'The Centre was supposed to bear 50 per cent of the land acquisition cost for the metro, but it hasn't given. Yet, we completed the project in the city's interest. Bengaluru is the second-highest tax contributor in the country but gets very little in return,' he told reporters.
Shivakumar also launched a direct attack on the BJP, saying no BJP MP from Karnataka had brought even Rs 10 in funds for Bengaluru. 'Some MPs (referring to Tejasvi Surya) think tweeting and media coverage amount to achievement. MPs must keep aside politics and work for the welfare of the people,' he said. He also accused the Centre of neglecting Karnataka, citing pending MGNREGA dues and a lack of tax devolution parity with cities like Ahmedabad.