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The much-awaited Namma Metro Blue Line, which will connect Silk Board with Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), has been delayed again after missing several deadlines. The Union government informed Parliament that only 72% of the civil construction work on the 58-km corridor has been completed so far. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is now targeting to finish the entire project by the end of 2027.
Namma Metro's Blue Line
The Blue Line is being developed under Namma Metro Phase IIA and IIB at an estimated cost of ₹14,788 crore. The corridor will pass through important areas such as KR Pura and Hebbal. Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the Silk Board-KR Pura section is expected to open by the end of 2026. The Hebbal-Kempegowda International Airport stretch is likely to be ready by mid-2027, while the challenging KR Pura-Hebbal section is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
Construction on the Silk Board-KR Pura elevated section began in August 2021, while work on the KR Pura-Airport section started in early 2022. However, progress on the KR Pura-Hebbal stretch has been slower due to several difficulties.
The Centre said metro projects usually take five to six years to complete, but delays often happen due to land acquisition issues, tree-cutting permissions, legal cases and local challenges. In January 2023, work on the KR Pura-Hebbal stretch suffered a major setback after an under-construction metro pier collapsed, killing a woman and her two-and-a-half-year-old son. Construction resumed only after BMRCL introduced stricter safety measures. Traffic congestion, delays in land acquisition, tree clearance, labour shortages and traffic police approvals also affected the pace of work.
Bengaluru Metro's Trial Runs to Begin in October
BMRCL plans to begin trial runs on the Silk Board-KR Pura section in October. Before passenger services can start, work at stations including Silk Board, Iblur and Marathahalli, along with depot connectivity to Baiyappanahalli, must be completed.
Bengaluru Metro's Orange Line
Meanwhile, the 45-km Orange Line under Namma Metro Phase III has achieved only 3.6% physical progress. The project, estimated to cost ₹15,611 crore, has been delayed as the Centre is yet to approve the Karnataka government's proposal for a 37-km double-decker flyover along part of the route.
The Union government also said Namma Metro Phase II is now 95% complete. All corridors except the 21-km Pink Line between Kalena Agrahara and Nagawara are operational. BMRCL aims to open the entire Pink Line, including its 13-km underground section from Dairy Circle to Nagawara, by March 2027.