Bengaluru’s Metro Pink Line inauguration has been drawn into a political and funding dispute after Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda alleged that his speech was removed from the final programme for the event scheduled on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the 7.5-km elevated section between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere. The section has been developed at an estimated cost of around Rs 3,470 crore.
Gowda said on Thursday that his address had been included in the draft programme but was omitted from the final schedule circulated the previous night. He shared what he described as the draft and revised versions of the programme on X.
“Reward for seeking justice for Karnataka… my speech cut. No opportunity for the Bengaluru Development Minister to speak at the Metro inauguration,” Gowda said in the post. He added that his speech had been allotted a slot in the draft, but that the final programme removed it.
The minister did not name anyone responsible for the alleged omission and did not attribute the decision to a specific authority. He said the removal followed his public demand for a larger central contribution to Bengaluru’s Metro expansion.
“Most of the capital expenditure for the metro project is ours. This is how we are punished for asking for Karnataka’s rightful share,” Gowda said. He added that the omission would not affect his work for the city and that the state government would continue its efforts to develop Bengaluru.
The programme dispute follows Gowda’s statement on Wednesday that Karnataka was bearing nearly 84 per cent of the combined costs of Metro Phases 1, 2, 2A, 2B and the estimated expenditure on Phase 3. According to figures presented by the minister, the combined project outlay stood at Rs 77,891 crore.
Of that amount, Karnataka’s contribution was Rs 65,291 crore, or approximately 84 per cent, while the Centre’s share was Rs 12,600 crore, or around 16 per cent. Gowda said the figures meant the state was effectively investing nearly five rupees for every rupee contributed by the Centre.
The minister argued that this calculation differed substantially from the 50:50 funding arrangement often cited for Metro projects. He also said the Centre’s share had declined across successive phases after being substantially higher during the initial phase.
Gowda linked the funding demand to Bengaluru’s economic contribution, citing the city’s role as a major contributor to GST and income tax and as a significant source of foreign exchange earnings through its technology and services sectors. He urged the Prime Minister to increase central funding and expedite approvals for the city’s Metro projects.
The Pink Line section between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere is the infrastructure project at the centre of Friday’s inauguration. The supplied report does not specify the final event agenda beyond the scheduled inauguration or indicate whether the speech will be restored before the programme. The inauguration is scheduled to take place on Friday.
