Big relief for Bengaluru commuters: RV Road to Bommasandra, Yellow Line to give city's IT belt new lifeline; PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate on August 10

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the long-delayed Yellow Line of Bengaluru’s Namma Metro on 10 August.The 19.15km line connects RV Road in central Bengaluru to Bommasandra in the city’s southern industrial corridor, passing through key hubs such as Silk Board Junction and Electronics City — home to numerous tech and biotechnology companies.Construction of the Yellow Line was completed in late 2023, but the launch was delayed by multiple setbacks.

The line had missed at least six earlier deadlines before the formal commissioning was confirmed this week.Improved connectivity, reduced trafficBuilt at a cost of Rs 7,610 crore ($912 million), the new corridor adds 16 stations and is expected to significantly improve connectivity between Bengaluru’s residential areas and its IT-BT (Information Technology and Biotechnology) zones.

Once operational, the Yellow Line is set to reduce private vehicle usage and cut travel time between neighbourhoods.Initially, three driverless trains will run along the route at intervals of approximately 25 minutes. More trains are expected to be added over time to increase frequency and capacity.Second-largest metro networkWith the addition of the Yellow Line, Namma Metro’s operational network will expand to 96km, solidifying its position as India’s second-largest metro system, behind Delhi’s 395km network.

The expansion comes at a time when Hyderabad Metro — currently spanning 69km — is rapidly growing its own network and ridership. The pressure has mounted on Bengaluru’s metro authorities to maintain pace with competing cities amid rising urban congestion.Bengaluru’s metro system currently handles around 800,000 daily passengers on its Purple and green lines.

Further expansion projects, including the Pink Line (Gottigere–Nagawara) and Blue Line (Central Silk Board–Kempegowda International Airport) are under construction and projected to push the city’s total metro coverage beyond 170km in the coming years.