Bengaluru: Motorists on the Outer Ring Road should get back road space unnecessarily blocked by Metro barricades where construction has already been completed, Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has directed officials, making immediate traffic relief a priority alongside the delayed Blue Line works.
After inspecting construction sites and meeting officials on Thursday, Gowda said barricades retained without a need were worsening congestion and should be removed to allow vehicle movement. He also pressed for Blue Line trial runs to begin by the end of October.
Trial runs are a construction milestone
For the KR Puram–Central Silk Board corridor, officials have been instructed to start trial runs on the track by the end of this month and progressively take trains through stations towards Marathahalli from the first week of November.
Gowda said the target for commercial operations between KR Puram and Central Silk Board was the middle of next year, describing the timeframe as about eight to ten months. The trial-run targets are separate from the start of passenger services.
For the KR Puram–Hebbal–airport corridor, he said the aim was to run trains on the Hebbal–airport stretch around October–November next year. He also called for trial activity from the first week of November and for trains to be progressively pushed towards Marathahalli or Hebbal.
Why the KR Puram–Hebbal works are delayed
The KR Puram–Nagawara–Hebbal section was particularly complex, Gowda said. A year-long court stay concerning tree cutting near KR Puram had delayed work by at least a year, according to him.
He said relocation of Cauvery water supply pipelines and sewer lines, including on the Veerannapalya–Hebbal stretch, had caused delays of around six to eight months.
Heavy traffic on the Outer Ring Road also meant work could be carried out only from 7 pm until early morning, rather than during the day, he said.
Gowda said contractors were not responding at the expected pace and that the government was continuously pursuing progress. With the project already delayed, he said he had made clear that further slippage should be avoided.
Pink Line opening awaits permission and a date
On the Pink Line, Gowda said trials on the approximately 7.5-km elevated section between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere had been completed successfully, following seven to eight months of safety and electrical testing.
He said official permission for operations was expected within four to five days. Letters seeking an early inauguration date had been sent to the Union government and the ministers concerned, but no written or oral response on a date had been received, he said.
He said efforts would be made to meet the Union ministers directly. No confirmed opening date was announced in the statement.
Suburban rail and more BMTC buses
Gowda said work was underway on Bengaluru’s 148-km suburban rail network, with a completion target of April 2030 and expenditure of around ₹23,000 crore.
He also said the government had approved the purchase of an additional 4,500 electric buses for BMTC, which currently had around 7,000 buses.
Gowda acknowledged public frustration over the Metro delays and said the Chief Minister had also directed officials to complete the works as quickly as possible without further delay.
Latest related coverage: Airport Metro: BMRCL proposes end-2027 commissioning to Hebbal and early 2028 for the KR Puram link.
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