The Bengaluru Metro Pink Line began its journey into public service on Friday, 13 November, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first elevated stretch of the corridor and travelled on the train with Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. The ceremony at Tavarekere station marked the opening of a long-awaited section of Namma Metro that is expected to bring relief to thousands of daily commuters in the south of the city.
Bengaluru Metro Pink Line Inaugurated at Tavarekere
The Prime Minister and the chief minister flagged off services between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere, a section developed at a cost of about Rs 3,470 crore. After the ceremonial launch, Mr Modi boarded the train and rode towards IIM Bangalore station, accompanied by Mr Shivakumar, Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya and Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. The two leaders were seen buying separate tickets from the counter before the journey.
During the ride, the chief minister briefed the Prime Minister on the advantages of the double-decker elevated structure on this stretch, which carries a metro line above a road flyover and is intended to ease congestion along one of the city’s busiest corridors.
Route and Stations on the Opening Section
The newly opened section runs for 7.5 km on an elevated alignment along Bannerghatta Road and has six stations. These are Kalena Agrahara, Hulimavu, IIM Bangalore, JP Nagar 4th Phase, Jayadeva Hospital and Tavarekere. Jayadeva Hospital is expected to serve as an interchange with the Yellow Line, which connects the central city with Electronics City and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in August 2025.
Kalena Agrahara, formerly known as Gottigere, forms the southern terminus of the corridor. Officials said that Bangalore’s metro network stood at 96.1 km after the Yellow Line opened, so the addition of this stretch is expected to take the system beyond the 100 km mark.
Services for Daily Commuters
Passenger services on the section will begin at 6am on Saturday, 14 November, according to Mr Gowda, who said trains will initially run at intervals of about eight minutes. Fares for the new stretch had not been announced at the time of his statement on 11 November. Namma Metro currently charges by distance on its other lines, and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited is expected to confirm the Pink Line tariff.
For daily commuters travelling between southern Bengaluru and the central parts of the city, the line offers an alternative to Bannerghatta Road, where traffic has long been heavy during peak hours. Officials have said the section is meant to improve urban connectivity, reduce travel times and strengthen public transport in the area.
The Underground Section Is Still to Come
The elevated stretch is only the first phase of the full Pink Line, which will run for 21.25 km with 18 stations between Kalena Agrahara and Nagawara. The remaining 12 stations lie in an underground section that is still under construction. This stretch, from Dairy Circle to Nagawara, is expected to open in 2027, with recent reports pointing to a window between March and May. It will include an interchange with the Purple Line at MG Road.
The project has seen its deadlines revised more than once. Earlier targets were pushed back, and the opening of the elevated section in November follows safety inspections carried out in October by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety, with clearance announced on 28 October.
What the Opening Means for Namma Metro
The launch adds to a period of rapid expansion for Namma Metro, which has been working to extend its reach beyond the original Purple and Green Lines. With the Pink Line’s elevated section now ready, attention shifts to the underground work and to the Blue Line, which is being built to connect the Outer Ring Road corridor with the airport.
For residents of Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Bilekahalli, Hulimavu and neighbouring localities, the immediate test will be how well the new service performs once passenger operations begin. Frequency, fares and the ease of interchange at Jayadeva Hospital will shape how many people shift from road to rail. If the response is strong, the Bengaluru Metro Pink Line could become one of the more heavily used additions to the network once the underground section joins it next year.
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