The Pink Line of Namma Metro has made significant progress with over 95% of tunnelling completed. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officials project that the underground section will be fully prepared by August, while the entire stretch may be opened in 2025.
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The Pink Line, spanning 21.26 km and linking Kalena Agrahara to Nagavara, boasts the longest underground stretch in Bengaluru metro, covering 13.76 km, alongside a 7.5-km elevated segment. This underground portion includes the ambitious task of constructing 20.992 km of twin tunnels. Progress is also underway on the construction of 18 stations, comprising 12 underground and six elevated stations, nearing completion.
BMRCL deployed nine tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for tunnel construction. Seven of them (Urja, Varada, Avni, Lavi, Vindhya, Vamika, and Rudra) have successfully completed their tasks. The eighth TBM, Tunga, began its final drive from KG Halli to Nagavara, spanning 935 metres, on February 2, 2024. The ninth machine, Bhadra, is currently undertaking its last assignment — a 939-metre northbound tunnel from KG Halli to Nagavara. Officials anticipate its completion in the upcoming months.
“In the KG Halli-Nagavara section, the geological composition consists of a combination of weathered rock and sandy silt/clayey sand, facilitating a comparatively smoother tunneling process,” said a senior BMRCL official.
Work on this stretch was delayed for years owing to various reasons, including cancellation of tender as bidders quoted exorbitant prices to build the network, policy decisions to change the alignment before the old alignment was finally approved, and land acquisition, among other hurdles.