Bengaluru Metro Blue Line trial runs set for October amid station delays

Trial runs for Namma Metro’s Blue Line in Bengaluru are scheduled to begin in October, but significant construction delays are expected to postpone full commercial operations. The 19.75-km route, which connects Silk Board and KR Pura through major IT corridors, will initially undergo trials in two stretches: from KR Puram to Marathahalli and from Marathahalli to HSR Layout.

However, work remains incomplete at the Marathahalli and Silk Board stations. Viaduct and track work are still ongoing at these locations, and the interchange travelator connecting the Blue Line to the Yellow Line at Silk Board is not expected to be ready until May 2027. Other contributing factors to the delay include slow progress at the Iblur station due to high-pressure gas and water pipelines, pending connections to the Baiyappanahalli depot, and delayed clearances for viaduct pillars at Central Silk Board.

These delays may also impact the second phase of the project, which aims to connect KR Puram to the airport by 2027.