Bengaluru Metro Pink Line: Minister Says Speech Cut at Modi Launch

Karnataka’s Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Thursday, 12 November, that his speech was removed from the final programme for the inauguration of the Bengaluru Metro Pink Line, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to open on Friday, 13 November. Gowda said the speech was in the draft schedule but missing from the list sent the previous night, and linked it to his demand for a larger central share of Metro funding, according to reports by PTI and South First.

A 7.5-km Stretch Opens Along Bannerghatta Road

The section being inaugurated is the 7.5-km elevated stretch between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere, built at a cost of about Rs 3,470 crore, PTI reported. It has six stations: Kalena Agrahara, Hulimavu, IIM Bangalore, JP Nagar 4th Phase, Jayadeva Hospital and Tavarekere. The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety cleared it on 28 October after a three-day inspection, and the network grows from 96.1 km to 103.6 km once it opens. BMRCL has not confirmed the day passenger service begins.

The Funding Numbers Gowda Cited

In a post on X, Gowda wrote: “This is how we are punished for asking for Karnataka’s rightful share.” He added: “Never mind, you can cut my speech. But you cannot stop me from working for Bengaluru’s development.”

Also read Karnataka Bus Fare Hike: BMTC Up 35%, KSRTC 23% From 5 November

He asked the Prime Minister to raise central funding and speed up project approvals. By his figures, the combined outlay for Metro Phases 1, 2, 2A, 2B and the estimated Phase 3 is Rs 77,891 crore. Karnataka contributes Rs 65,291 crore, about 84 per cent, and the Centre Rs 12,600 crore, about 16 per cent. These are the minister’s numbers; no official reply to them had been reported by Thursday evening.

The draft programme Gowda shared, according to South First, listed addresses by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Governor Sudha Yadav and Gowda himself. In the version he calls the revised one, only his slot is struck out. Gowda did not name anyone as responsible for the change.

Inauguration Set for Friday Afternoon

The inauguration is scheduled for about 12:45 pm on 13 November. Neither the Centre nor BMRCL had commented on the speech or the funding split at the time of writing. More Karnataka coverage is collected on the Karnataka tag page, and city stories are under Bengaluru.

Source: Based on reporting by ThePrint (PTI), The South First and OneIndia.

Image: The South First.