PM Modi flags off 3 Vande Bharat trains, launches RV Road-Bommasandra yellow metro line in Bengaluru
Webdunia | August 11, 2025 3:39 AM CST
The 19.15-km Yellow Line corridor, conceived in the 2011 Detailed Project Report prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, has faced multiple delays since construction began in 2017. Initially targeted for completion in December 2021, the project was hindered by land acquisition hurdles, the COVID-19 pandemic, and supply delays from Chinese rolling stock manufacturer CRRC Nanjing.
Designed to serve eight lakh commuters along the Electronics City corridor, the new metro line aims to significantly ease road congestion—especially at the notoriously clogged Silk Board junction. However, the initial rollout has faced criticism due to limited operational capacity, with only three train sets available and resulting 25-minute intervals between services. Commuters have expressed frustration, describing the inauguration as largely symbolic given the insufficient frequency.
The event unfolded amid a charged political atmosphere.
At Ragigudda Metro Station, Congress supporters raised slogans in support of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who emphasized that the Metro project is a collaborative effort between the state and union governments—not the property of any single political party.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy accused BJP leaders, including State unit chief B.S. Yediyurappa and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, of portraying the project as solely a Central government initiative. Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge highlighted that the state had contributed over Rs12,000 crore—including land acquisition costs—and accused the BJP of “hijacking credit.”
Alongside the metro inauguration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the extended Belagavi–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, which will operate six days a week, departing Belagavi at 5:20 a.m. and arriving in Bengaluru by 1:50 p.m. The return journey will commence at 2:20 p.m. This service is expected to enhance connectivity between Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Davangere, Haveri, Hubballi, Dharwad, and Belagavi. Additionally, two other Vande Bharat services,Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Amritsar and Nagpur (Ajni)–Pune were also launched.
Security was tightened at key venues, including Ragigudda Metro Station and the IAF Training Command headquarters. Bengaluru Traffic Police enforced restrictions on major routes from 8.30 am. to 2.30 pm., though disruption was minimal as the Prime Minister travelled mainly by helicopter and Metro between venues.
The day’s events marked both an infrastructural milestone for Bengaluru and a flashpoint in Karnataka’s political rivalry, with competing claims over credit overshadowing the delayed but significant launch.
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