Bengaluru Metro Pink Line Moves Closer to Launch as Prototype Trainset Begins Mainline Trials
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited has started testing the prototype trainset for the Pink Line, marking a key milestone for Namma Metro’s Phase 2 expansion. Preliminary trials were conducted on Friday on the elevated stretch between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere along Bannerghatta Road. The prototype train was supplied by BEML in December.
Bengaluru, January 11: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited has started testing the prototype trainset for the Pink Line, marking a key milestone for Namma Metro’s Phase 2 expansion. Preliminary trials were conducted on Friday on the elevated stretch between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere along Bannerghatta Road. The prototype train was supplied by BEML in December.
Under Phase 2, BMRCL is constructing the 21-km Pink Line corridor connecting Kalena Agrahara and Nagawara, including a 13-km underground section between Dairy Circle and Nagawara. The elevated stretch from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere is targeted for opening by mid-2026, while the entire Pink Line corridor is scheduled for completion by December 2026. First-Ever in Bengaluru: Namma Metro Transports Donated Liver, Saves Patient by Beating City Traffic in 55-Minute Lifeline Ride (Watch Video).
A senior BMRCL official said the testing and certification process would take around six months, followed by statutory approvals from multiple agencies. “The prototype train was operated at a very slow speed on the mainline. In the coming days, rolling stock-related tests will be conducted in phases. Commercial operations can begin only after all mandatory clearances,” the official said. ‘You Are an Idiot’: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s Appreciation Post for Bengaluru Namma Metro Draws Reaction From Troll, She Hits Back.
According to an official release, mainline testing is a crucial pre-commissioning activity to validate train performance and system integration under real field conditions. The test programme includes traction and braking trials, oscillation tests at different speeds, and integration checks with signalling, power supply and telecommunication systems.
BMRCL sources said BEML is expected to deliver the second Pink Line trainset by the end of January, with six trainsets to be supplied by March. Under the contract, BEML will supply 318 standard-gauge Metro cars for the Pink Line and the Blue Line (Silk Board–Kempegowda International Airport). In December 2025, BEML had rolled out a driverless Metro trainset for the Pink Line.
Officials added that civil works on the elevated Pink Line section are at an advanced stage, while signalling works are currently underway.
Yellow Line Update
Namma Metro plans to induct the seventh train on the Yellow Line by Makara Sankranthi, which will reduce headway on the 19-km corridor from 13 minutes to 11 minutes. The eighth train, already dispatched after completing tests, is expected to be inducted in February. Yellow Line operations began in August with three trains and have been expanded gradually as additional trainsets are received.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2026 10:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).