Bengaluru Pink Line launch in phases, elevated stretch eyed for May 2026, full line by year-end

After repeated deadline extensions, Bengaluru’s Namma Metro Pink Line has moved closer to operations, with the first six-coach prototype train set to be delivered to BMRCL this week. The delivery marks the beginning of mandatory testing and safety trials required before commissioning.

Manufactured by BEML at its Bengaluru facility, the prototype train was initially scheduled for rollout in mid-October but was finally rolled out in December. The train will now serve as the reference model for all future rolling stock on the Pink Line.

Once delivered, the prototype train will undergo oscillation trials, a key safety test conducted on a minimum 5km stretch of track. These trials assess derailment coefficients, offloading, and ride stability at speeds 10% higher than the proposed operational limit, ensuring safe passenger operations.

Following successful trials, BMRCL will submit detailed reports to the Railway Board. The project will then require approvals from the Ministry of Railways, the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), and final authorisation from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS).

Under the Rs 3,000-crore agreement, BEML will supply 318 standard-gauge metro cars for both the Pink and Blue Lines. The contract also includes design, engineering, manufacturing, and up to 15 years of comprehensive maintenance support.

The Pink Line trains will be equipped with communication-based train control (CBTC) technology, enabling fully driverless operations. This advanced signalling system improves train frequency, safety, and operational efficiency across Bengaluru’s expanding metro network.

While most of the Pink Line runs underground, the 7.5km elevated section between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere is expected to be commissioned first. BMRCL is targeting May 2026 for this stretch to become operational.

The remaining 13km underground corridor between Dairy Circle and Nagawara involves complex tunnelling and station construction. BMRCL has set an end-of-2026 deadline for the completion and commissioning of this section.

With state-of-the-art driverless trains, modern infrastructure, and extensive safety checks, the Pink Line represents a major upgrade in Bengaluru’s urban transport system and a key step toward sustainable mobility.