Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Bengaluru’s Namma Metro Pink Line on Friday and flagged off a train alongside Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar at the Suddagunte Palya, also referred to as SG Palya, metro station. The two leaders also bought tickets for the journey, turning the station-level ceremony into a public demonstration of the new urban rail service.
The event was attended by Governor Sudha Yadav, Bengaluru Urban Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, according to a report by Vijay Karnataka. Modi and Shivakumar stood in the queue at the station before purchasing tickets to travel on the newly inaugurated line.
The ticket purchase drew attention after Modi made a quiet joke about the ticket fare while Shivakumar proceeded to buy his ticket. The report said the Chief Minister and Byre Gowda laughed, while Surya was seen smiling in a video from the station. The exchange took place before the leaders boarded the metro train.
The inauguration also included a public reception for the Prime Minister. Thousands of people were reported to have gathered on both sides of the road leading to the station, where Modi waved to the crowd before joining Shivakumar to flag off the new train. The ceremony placed the Pink Line’s opening within Bengaluru’s broader public transport network, where station access and service operations will determine how commuters experience the new connection.
After the flag-off, an event was held at the auditorium of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. Shivakumar presented Modi with a statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda during the programme. The Prime Minister had earlier attended the Golden Jubilee programme of Prashanti Kuteer near Jigani, where he spoke about Karnataka’s role in promoting yoga and recalled actor Dr Rajkumar’s contribution to the field.
The report also described discussions between Modi and Shivakumar during the Prime Minister’s visit. Shivakumar welcomed Modi at HAL airport before accompanying him on the metro journey, during which the two leaders discussed several matters. Their joint appearance at the Pink Line inauguration brought the Centre-state relationship into focus alongside the transport project itself, although the report did not provide details of the issues discussed.
For Bengaluru residents, the immediate significance of the event is the start of operations on a new metro route and the addition of another rail link to the city’s mass-transit system. The supplied report does not specify the Pink Line’s total length, number of stations, opening timetable or passenger service frequency. Those operational details will be important for commuters assessing the line’s usefulness after the ceremonial launch.
The inauguration followed earlier reports announcing that Modi would launch the Namma Metro Pink Line in Bengaluru on November 15, but the latest report places the formal flag-off on November 13. Further information on passenger operations and the line’s scheduled service will come from the metro authorities as the new route enters regular use.
