Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, November 13, inaugurated the 7.5-kilometre elevated stretch of Bengaluru Metro's Pink Line from Kalena Agrahara to S.G. Palya (formerly Tavarekere), pushing the city's operational metro network past the 100-kilometre milestone for the first time, news agency IANS reported.

Source: IANS via hi INDiA

The stretch, built at an estimated cost of around Rs 3,470 crore, has six elevated stations — Kalena Agrahara, Hulimavu, Bilekahalli-IIMB, N.S. Palya-J.P. Nagar 4th Phase, Jayadeva Hospital and S.G. Palya — along Bannerghatta Road. With its addition, Bengaluru's operational metro network grows from 96.1 km to 103.6 km, the second largest in India after Delhi.

Modi flagged off the first train together with Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar and travelled on the metro with him to the IIMB station. Reports of the visit said the Prime Minister bought his own ticket at the counter, paying through UPI, before boarding the train.

Source: The Hindu BusinessLine

Passenger services on the new stretch opened to the public from 6 am on Saturday, November 14. Fares on the stretch follow the metro's existing slabs and were reported at Rs 10 to Rs 30.

A 21.25-km corridor, half still underground

The full Pink Line will run 21.25 km from Kalena Agrahara in the south to Nagawara in the north, with 18 stations in all. The remaining 12 stations form a 13.75-km underground section from Dairy Circle to Nagawara, which is still under construction and is targeted for completion in 2027. At Jayadeva station, the new stretch will connect with the Electronic City line.

The inauguration was the centrepiece of a Karnataka projects day worth about Rs 15,600 crore, which also included the flag-off of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express.

Source: NewKerala