Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took a pre-inaugural ride on Namma Metro's Yellow Line on August 5, ahead of its official launch scheduled for Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the 19.15-km metro corridor linking RV Road to Bommasandra via Silk Board Junction and Electronics City.
Construction of the Rs 7,610-crore line was completed in late 2023 but faced delays in launching due to train shortages and regulatory approvals. According to officials, initially, three driverless trains will operate at a 25-minute frequency across all 16 stations starting from Monday, August 11.
Responding to queries on the inauguration date, Shivakumar stressed that Namma Metro was a joint effort, stating, "The Chief Minister and I requested the PM for the Yellow Line inauguration, and he accommodated our request. The state has an equal stake in this project."
According to reports, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) decided the launch date independently, which sparked debate. Shivakumar said that the inauguration would include a ceremony at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, followed by the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and local legislators boarding the inaugural train.
The Deputy CM also briefed about the fourth train set arriving later this month, which would reduce the operational frequency to 20 minutes. Further expansions are anticipated, with a goal to run
trains every 10 minutes by adding more trains.
Meanwhile, he also responded to BJP MP Tejasvi Surya’s comments regarding the delay of the inauguration, saying that critical approvals were only secured recently from the Commissionerate of Metro Railway Safety on July 31.
"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 said, referring to the BJP MP.