Bengaluru Metro’s elevated Pink Line stretch between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere may receive official approval within five days, Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said after inspecting metro works across the city on Thursday. The state government has also written to the Centre seeking finalisation of an inauguration date for the section’s operations.
The approval would clear the way for services on the elevated stretch, although the source report does not specify the date on which passenger operations will begin. The minister’s inspection and comments come as the state seeks to accelerate work on the wider Pink Line system and prevent further delays to sections under construction.
The minister said the corridors connecting KR Puram with Hebbal and Hebbal with Kempegowda International Airport are critical components of Bengaluru’s transport infrastructure. These corridors are being developed under Metro Phases 2A and 2B. The 38.44-km KR Puram-KIA stretch has reached 61.5% overall physical progress.
According to the project schedule cited in the report, commissioning is planned for the end of 2027 and early 2028 for the sections involving Hebbal and KR Puram. Gowda said the stretch between KR Puram, Nagawara and Hebbal had faced significant construction challenges, contributing to delays.
The minister also expressed dissatisfaction with slow progress on parts of the alignment along the Outer Ring Road, saying the pace had adversely affected traffic movement. “The project is already delayed by a year. I have firmly instructed officials that there must be no further delay and that trial runs must begin by the end of October,” he said.
For the KR Puram-Central Silk Board section, trial runs on the tracks are scheduled to begin by the end of October. From the first week of November, trains are expected to operate progressively along individual station sections, with plans to extend services from KR Puram to Marathahalli.
The developments place two separate milestones before the metro project: regulatory approval for operations on the elevated Kalena Agrahara-Tavarekere stretch and the start of testing on the KR Puram-Central Silk Board section. The state government’s request to the Centre for an inauguration date remains pending, while officials have been directed to begin trial runs by the end of October.
