Bengaluru Metro’s green line extension opens
After a seven-year delay, Bengaluru’s long-awaited Namma Metro Green Line extension from Nagasandra to Madavara opened for commercial operations on Thursday
After a seven-year delay, Bengaluru’s long-awaited Namma Metro Green Line extension from Nagasandra to Madavara opened for commercial operations on Thursday, officials familiar with the matter said.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) had announced the commencement of services for this 3.14-km elevated stretch, part of the metro project’s Phase-2, following a safety inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (Southern Circle) on October 3.
This new stretch, which opened without fanfare, follows two previous metro sections — Challaghatta and Benniganahalli stations of the Purple Line—that were launched last year amid public demand. The elevated corridor was initially expected to be completed within 27 months from the start of construction in 2017 at an estimated cost of ₹298.65 crore. However, due to land acquisition hurdles, workforce shortages, pandemic disruptions, and logistical issues, the project’s timeline stretched to seven years, with final costs rising to ₹1,168 crore, which included ₹152 crore for land acquisition.
The extension adds three new stations—Manjunathanagar, Chikkabidarakallu, and Madavara (BIEC)—and is expected to benefit 44,000 additional passengers daily.
This route is expected to improve access to the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), a major venue for national and international events, and ease traffic congestion along the busy Tumkur Road corridor.
“This extension will provide direct metro access to BIEC, a major center for conferences and exhibitions in Karnataka,” the BMRCL stated. “Trains on the extended Green Line will operate every 10 minutes from 5 am to 11 pm. Ticket fares range between ₹10 and ₹60, depending on the distance,” it added.
At a press conference after inspecting the new metro line on Wednesday, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar announced plans to further expand the city’s metro network. “By 2026, an additional 175 km of metro lines will be operational in Bengaluru,” he said. Of this, 30 km of new lines are targeted for completion by 2025.
Shivakumar outlined several upcoming infrastructure projects, including a pedestrian skywalk at Manjunathanagar metro station, a collaborative effort with Indian Railways for a pedestrian passage at Yeshwanthpur railway station, and plans for an underpass at Chikkabidarakallu with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). With the addition of this new line, Namma Metro now operates 73.81 km of track, making it India’s second-longest metro network, serving over 800,000 passengers daily. In total, 100 km of metro lines are currently under construction, including the 19.15-km Yellow Line, 21.26-km Pink Line, and 58.19-km Blue Line.
