By Piyush M Padwale
On August 10, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the yellow metro line in Bengaluru. Starting from Rashtreeya Vidyalaya Road to Bommasandra, with 16 elevated stations; this addition takes the overall distance of the Namma Metro to 96 kms.
Estimated at around ₹7610 crores, the new metro service connects major hubs such as Silk Board and Electronic City.
It will be open to public service from August 11, with a current availability of three trainsets arriving at a frequency of 25 minutes. Plans are in place to introduce a fourth set and reduce the waiting time to 10 minutes as passenger demand increases.
PM Modi also laid the foundation of Phase-III (Orange Line), which will span 44.65 kms with 31 new stations, approved at a budget of ₹15661 crores, and is expected to be completed around 2029.
The inauguration event was met with political conflict over credit for funding, with claims that while the central government contributed just 20% of the funds, the state covered the remaining 80%.
The tussle over credit extended to the presence of banners throughout the city, each showing loyalty to respective political parties.
Amid the political sparring, in a rare display of unity, the PM was seen sharing seats alongside Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM Shivakumar, who also engaged with students during the journey.
PM Modi also flagged of three new Vande Bharat trains from the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (Bengaluru) Station:
a) Bengaluru-Belagavi
b) Amritsar-Vaishno Devi Katra
c) Ajni (Nagpur)-Pune
Out of the three, the train from Bengaluru-Belagavi was the only one that was flagged in person, remaining were virtually done.
The trains feature upgraded interiors, faster acceleration and modern passenger amenities.
Twenty regular train services were temporarily cancelled but resumed by midday.
The events drew large crowds, managed by state police, who controlled attempts to breach security, showcasing improved crowd management and security systems.
Students and rail enthusiasts turned up in thousands, braving rain and traffic disruptions, to celebrate what many saw as a day marking a major transit milestone in Bengaluru.