Bengaluru, October 9: Bengaluru’s Namma Metro Pink Line has moved a step closer to opening for passengers after the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) completed a three-day inspection of its 7.5-km elevated section between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere. The six-station corridor is expected to take the city’s operational metro network beyond 100 km once it receives final safety clearance and begins passenger services.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) announced the completion of the inspection on October 8. The assessment was conducted from October 6 to 8 by V. Venkatasubramanian, Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety, Southern Circle, and his team. However, BMRCL said authorisation for passenger operations would be granted only after the corporation had addressed the observations and complied with the conditions specified during the inspection.
The elevated section includes six stations: Kalena Agrahara, Hulimavu, IIMB, JP Nagar 4th Phase, Jayadeva Hospital and Tavarekere. Once operational, the corridor is expected to improve public transport connectivity along Bannerghatta Road and surrounding areas of southern Bengaluru, offering commuters an additional travel option.
The safety inspection covered the elevated corridor, railway infrastructure, depot facilities, train operations and control systems. On October 6, the inspection team examined the main line and associated infrastructure using a motor trolley, a small rail-mounted vehicle used to inspect tracks and railway structures.
The assessment continued on October 7 with further trolley inspections, an examination of facilities at Kothanur Depot, and train trials and testing along the main line. The inspection concluded on October 8 with a review of the Operations Control Centre at Baiyappanahalli, which monitors and controls metro train movements.
BMRCL had already obtained a speed certificate from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the Indian Railways body responsible for technical standards and testing, in August 2026. This was followed by provisional approval from the Railway Board for the trains and safety certification of the signalling system by an Independent Safety Assessor.
These approvals formed part of the preparations for the mandatory CMRS inspection, which assesses whether a new metro section meets the safety requirements for passenger operations. However, completion of the inspection does not constitute final authorisation to operate the corridor.
The opening of the elevated Pink Line stretch would also mark a milestone for Bengaluru’s metro network. According to BMRCL, the additional 7.5 km would increase the operational network from 96.10 km to 103.60 km, taking Namma Metro past the 100-km mark for the first time.
The new corridor is expected to benefit commuters travelling along Bannerghatta Road and surrounding areas, including Hulimavu, IIMB, JP Nagar and Jayadeva Hospital. It would provide metro access to several residential, educational and healthcare destinations in southern Bengaluru.
BMRCL has not announced a confirmed date for the start of passenger services. Before the section can open, the corporation must address the safety commissioner’s observations, meet the required conditions and obtain formal authorisation for passenger operations.
