Bengaluru residents stage symbolic Pink Line opening over delayed launch

Residents along Bannerghatta Road in Bengaluru staged a symbolic inauguration of the Metro Pink Line on Monday to protest delays to the opening of its elevated section. The residents cut a ribbon to draw attention to the missed September-end target for the 7.5-kilometre stretch between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.

is awaiting inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety before the section can open. A local resident said the community had been given several prospective opening dates and wanted the line made operational as soon as possible. The protest was intended to highlight the repeated postponements rather than serve as an official launch.

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda inspected the corridor on September 2 and said the civil and elevated works were ready. He had previously said the stretch could open after the necessary approvals from the Centre were obtained. The opening schedule has changed several times.

Gowda initially announced August 15, 2026, as the target date for the elevated section. The Pink Line will extend 21.3 kilometres, comprising 7.5 kilometres of elevated track and 13.8 kilometres underground. Its underground section, between Tavarekere and Nagawara, is expected to be completed by March 2027 according to the report.

The underground route will connect Dairy Circle, M.G. Road, Shivajinagar and Tannery Road, creating a north-south link through central Bengaluru. The source material does not provide a new opening date for the elevated stretch.

The symbolic ceremony reflects frustration among residents affected by the delay, while the formal opening remains dependent on the required safety inspection and approvals.