Bengaluru: DK Shivakumar takes Yellow Line metro trip ahead of its inauguration

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar travelled by Namma Metro's Yellow Line on Tuesday, ahead of its inauguration on Sunday. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 19.15-km metro corridor on Sunday, with passenger service beginning the next day. 

The Rs 7,610-crore line connects RV Road with Bommasandra via Silk Board Junction and Electronics City. Its construction was completed in late 2023, but the launch was delayed due to a shortage of trains and statutory clearances. Initially, three driverless trains will run at a frequency of 25 minutes, connecting all 16 stations. 

On whether the Centre or the state decided the inauguration date, Shivakumar said Namma Metro was not a project of the union government alone. "The Chief Minister and I had requested the PM to inaugurate the Yellow Line, and he gave time now. The state has an equal share in it." 

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) reportedly decided the launch date without consulting the state government, as DH reported on Monday. 

Shivakumar said the inauguration will include a brief event at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, after which the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister and local legislators will board the inaugural train. 

He said a fourth trainset would arrive later this month and frequency would improve to 20 minutes. He added that frequency would further improve to 10 minutes once more trainsets were inducted.

Taking a swipe at Bangalore South MP, LS Tejasvi Surya, Shivakumar said statutory approvals could not be rushed. He noted that the Commissionerate of Metro Railway Safety gave approval only on July 31. 

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and local MLAs at the Electronics City metro station. 

"It would be better if MPs who make a lot of noise get us some funds. They don’t speak a word on funds, but nitpick. We've decided to build double-deck flyovers for all metro lines in the future," he added. 

Shivakumar said they would urge the Prime Minister to provide funds to acquire land for the double-decker. The BMRCL has also been directed to acquire an additional 3-4 acres of land at each metro station to establish parking facilities, he added.

On Bengaluru's traffic woes, he said: "People from across the country are migrating to Bengaluru for its good weather, Cauvery water and educational institutions."