Bengaluru Metro Projects Face Delays; Yellow Line Opening Pushed To January 2025

Bengaluru’s Namma Metro witnessed limited progress in 2024, with only a small extension of the Green Line opening for public use.

Frequent delays in ongoing projects, including the much-anticipated Yellow Line, have slowed development.

The Yellow Line, which connects R V Road to Bommasandra, was initially set to begin operations by December 2024.

However, delays in the delivery of rolling stock have postponed its commissioning to January 2025, as confirmed by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) last month.

A single prototype train set, manufactured in China, arrived at the Hebbagodi depot on 14 February 2024.

The train underwent static testing within the depot and on its tracks.

The remaining train sets, critical for the line’s operation, are yet to be delivered, further pushing the timeline.

Spanning 18.82 kilometers with 16 elevated stations, the Yellow Line is expected to improve connectivity in southern Bengaluru, particularly in areas with major companies like Infosys and Biocon.

The line will intersect with the Green Line at R.V. Road Station and the Pink Line at Jayadeva Hospital Station.

The project has faced multiple hurdles since its inception. In 2019, China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) secured a Rs 1,578-crore contract to supply 216 metro coaches.

However, CRRC failed to establish a manufacturing plant in India as per contract terms, leading BMRCL to issue notices and consider encashing a Rs 372-crore bank guarantee.

Recently, CRRC partnered with Kolkata-based Titagarh Wagons to expedite the delivery of remaining coaches, but delays persist.

In 2024, the only metro extension inaugurated was a 3.14-kilometre stretch of the Green Line from Nagasandra to Madavara (BIEC), which began operations on 7 November.

Initially slated for completion in 2019, the project faced setbacks and was delayed by seven years.

Additionally, the Karnataka Cabinet approved Phase 3A of the Red Line on 6 December 2024. This phase will connect Sarjapur in the southeast to Hebbal in the north.

The Pink Line’s first phase—a 7.5-kilometre elevated stretch—is scheduled to open by September 2025, while its 13.8-kilometre underground second phase is expected by June 2026.

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