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Namma Metro

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Namma Metro, also known as the Bengaluru Metro, is a rapid transit system.

Namma metro
Namma metro

It serves Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka, India. This network is the second-largest metro system in India, following the Delhi Metro. As of August 2025, the operational length of the system is 96.1 km.

Bangalore Metro 2
Bangalore Metro 2

It provides a vital way for people to move through the busy city. The system is managed by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). This agency is a joint venture between the Government of India and the State Government of Karnataka.

The metro operates using standard-gauge tracks to move its trains.

Namma metro
Namma metro

Electricity is supplied to the trains via 750V direct current. This power comes through a component known as a third rail. While the trains initially began with only three coaches, they were later converted to six-coach rakes. This change was necessary to handle the increasing number of passengers. Services run daily from 05:00 until 00:00. The headway, or the time between trains, varies between 3 and 15 minutes.

The network features three distinct types of stations. Most of the 83 operational stations are elevated, meaning they are built on structures above the ground.

Bangalore Metro 2
Bangalore Metro 2

There are also eight underground stations, which were the first of their kind in South India.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar metro station, Vidhana Soudha 17
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar metro station, Vidhana Soudha 17

Additionally, there is one at-grade station, which sits at ground level. This mix of station types allows the tracks to navigate the complex urban landscape of Bengaluru.

The idea for a mass rapid transit project began much earlier than the actual construction. In 1977, the State Town Planning Department first recommended looking into a metro. In 1981, a team from Southern Railway (SR) conducted a study. They suggested a two-corridor metro along with a circular railway. In 1994, the state created Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Ltd (BMRTL) to seek private partnerships. Eventually, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was commissioned in 2003 to prepare a detailed study. The DMRC suggested a two-line, cross-shaped network that intersected underground at the Central Railway Station.

Construction of Phase 1 officially began after Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone in 2006.

Metro first day rush
Metro first day rush

The project involved building the Purple Line and the Green Line. To create the underground sections, engineers used massive Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). These machines were given names like Helen, Margarita, Kaveri, Krishna, and Godavari. The work was difficult due to geological conditions like soft soil, high groundwater, and hard granite. One machine, Godavari, faced a major delay when its cutter head broke. Spares for the machine had to be brought in from Italy to finish the work.

Phase 1 was a massive undertaking with significant financial shifts. The initial budget for Phase 1 was ₹6,395 crore. However, due to route extensions and cost escalations, the final cost reached ₹14,405 crore.

Namma Metro Tickets
Namma Metro Tickets

The project saw huge public interest from the start. Within the first three days of operations, 169,019 people rode the metro. By the end of the fourth day, about 200,000 passengers had used the system. As the network grew and the lines interconnected, ridership surged. By September 2019, daily ridership reached approximately 450,000 people.

Phase 2 represents a significant expansion of the entire network.

Phase 2A with WFD line
Phase 2A with WFD line

This phase includes extending the existing Green and Purple lines. It also involves building two entirely new lines. One new line will be a long, fully elevated route from RV Road to Bommasandra. The other will run from Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara. Phase 2 is expected to add 62 more stations to the system. This expansion will include 12 new underground stations. The total estimated cost for Phase 2 has been revised to approximately ₹40,425 crore.

Bangalore metro
Bangalore metro
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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Phase 2A with WFD line.png
Phase 2A with WFD line.png
File:Dr. B. R. Ambedkar metro station, Vidhana Soudha 17.jpg
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar metro station, Vidhana...
File:Namma metro.jpg
Namma metro.jpg
File:Namma Metro.jpg
Namma Metro.jpg
File:NammaMetro-Progress-2025-08-19.gif
NammaMetro-Progress-2025-08-19.gif
File:Bangalore metro.jpg
Bangalore metro.jpg
File:Bangalore Metro 2.jpg
Bangalore Metro 2.jpg
File:Metro first day rush.jpg
Metro first day rush.jpg
File:Pic from Namma metro baiyappanahalli station 1490.jpg
Pic from Namma metro baiyappanahalli...
File:Namma Metro Tickets.jpg
Namma Metro Tickets.jpg
File:Varshik Card Namma Metro.jpg
Varshik Card Namma Metro.jpg
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