Will Pink Line really open by May 2026? Namma Metro says no

Officials clarify underground section will complete only by December 2026 after Deputy Chief Minister’s claim.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar courted controversy on Monday after posting on X that the entire 21.26-km Pink Line of Namma Metro will open in May 2026.

"Our commitment to better connectivity continues! Namma Metro Pink Line connecting Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara will be operational by May 2026. This 13.76 km stretch will ease traffic and strengthen north-south connectivity across Bengaluru," he wrote.

The post was quickly disputed by many users and even resulted in a community note.

Senior BMRCL officials overseeing the Pink Line construction reiterated that the corridor would open in two phases. The 7.5-km elevated stretch from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere will open in May 2026 while the 13.76-km underground section (Dairy Circle-Nagavara via MG Road) will start only by December next year.

"The elevated section is almost ready, except for minor works that will be completed closer to the launch," a senior official with knowledge of the matter told DH.

This section, running entirely along Bannerghatta Road, has six stations: Tavarekere, Jayadeva Hospital, JP Nagar 4th Phase, IIMB, Hulimavu and Kalena Agrahara.

Jayadeva Hospital, the tallest metro station in South India, will be Bengaluru's third interchange.

Meanwhile, the underground section - the city's longest at 13.76 km - is far from over. Although tunnelling finished in December 2024, track-laying and systems work are still underway.

The underground section runs from Dairy Circle to Nagavara via MG Road - the city's fourth interchange station - and has 12 stations.

The Dairy Circle-Shivajinagar stretch is in advanced stages, with civil work and track-laying being completed, two other officials said.

"Systems work, including the Electronic Control System (ECS), Tunnel Ventilation System (TVS), firefighting pipes, Automated Fare Collection (AFC) gates and signalling, is progressing" one of the officials said.

Preparations are also underway to install full-height Platform Screen Doors (PSDs) on this stretch, and a mockup has already been put in place at MG Road, a fourth official said.

On the Cantonment-Nagavara stretch, track-laying has been completed up to Venkateshpura and is currently progressing towards KG Halli. "Station work on this stretch is 95% complete," the official added. "Escalators and lifts are have been installed at most stations."

All systems work is expected to be finished within three months, after which finishing works such as false ceilings, fire doors and granite flooring at the platform level will be taken up, the official stated.

Prototype train in November-end

Meanwhile, the BMRCL expects to receive the prototype driverless train for the Pink Line from BEML by November-end, a fifth official said. BEML will supply 23 trains in total.

The prototype will undergo several weeks of static tests at the Kothanur depot before trial runs begin on the mainline — a process likely to take up to six months.