Mon Feb 17 16:01:55 UTC 2025: ## Bengaluru’s Pink Metro Line Nears Completion Despite Geological Challenges
**Bengaluru, February 17, 2025** – The 21-kilometer Pink Line of Bengaluru’s Namma Metro is nearing completion, according to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) officials. While the project has faced significant geological hurdles, the BMRCL showcased progress on Monday, highlighting the completed track laying and ongoing civil work beneath Kamaraj Road.
Chief Engineer (Underground Section) Subrahmanya Gudge explained that the city’s unique geological composition, characterized by a mix of semi-porous soil and hard granite and dolerite boulders, presented major challenges during tunneling. These boulders, particularly when smaller than the tunnel boring machine’s cutter head, caused damage to equipment, ground settlement, and debris accumulation. The 2.2-km stretch from Shivajinagar to Vellara proved especially difficult.
Despite these complexities, the BMRCL successfully completed tunneling on the 14-km underground section (21 km of actual tunneling due to twin tunnels) of the Pink Line in October 2024. This is the city’s longest underground metro stretch to date.
The Pink Line, running 21.3 km from Nagawara to Gottigere, will be commissioned in two phases. The first phase, encompassing the 13.8-km underground section from Dairy Circle to Nagawara, is slated for completion by December 2026. The second phase, a 7.5-km elevated stretch from Gottigere to Tavarekere, is expected to open earlier, by December 2025. This announcement comes amidst recent controversy surrounding a metro fare hike.
First Piper 