The Bengaluru Metro Pink Line inauguration has triggered a public dispute after Karnataka’s Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said his scheduled speech was removed from the final programme for the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to attend the inauguration of the corridor connecting Kalena Agrahara with Nagawara, according to a report by Prajavani.
Byre Gowda expressed his displeasure in a social-media post, saying he had not been given an opportunity to speak at the inauguration despite being the minister responsible for Bengaluru development. He described the decision as a consequence of his demand for what he called Karnataka’s fair share from the Centre.
“The reward for asking justice for Karnataka — my speech cut,” the minister said in the statement reported by Prajavani. He added that the draft of the event programme had included time for him to speak, but that the opportunity was removed from the final list issued on Wednesday night.
The minister also referred to the funding and expenditure associated with the metro project. According to Prajavani’s translation of his statement, Byre Gowda said that a substantial portion of the capital and expenditure was borne by Karnataka, and that seeking a fair share for the state had resulted in the removal of his speaking slot.
The Pink Line is the Namma Metro corridor linking Kalena Agrahara in south Bengaluru with Nagawara in the north-east. Its inauguration is being held in the presence of the prime minister, making the event both an infrastructure milestone and a formal platform involving state and Union authorities.
The dispute highlights the institutional layers involved in Bengaluru’s metro expansion. While the corridor is being inaugurated as a major urban transport project, its public presentation brings together the Union government, the state government and the agencies responsible for planning, financing and delivering metro infrastructure. The report does not provide details of the programme change beyond the minister’s account, nor does it include a response from the Union government or the metro authorities.
Byre Gowda said the decision would not stop him from working on Bengaluru’s development. He stated that, although his speech could be removed, efforts to work for the city would continue with greater commitment.
The immediate next step is the scheduled inauguration of the Pink Line corridor, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the event. No further details about the final programme or the reasons for the change were provided in the report.
