Yellow Line Open Madi: MP Tejasvi Surya leads protest in Lalbagh

Hundreds of residents from South Bengaluru gathered in front of Lalbagh on Friday, demanding the immediate commissioning of the long-delayed 19-km Yellow Line of Namma Metro, connecting RV Road to Bommasandra.

The protest was spearheaded by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and saw participation from Bengaluru Central MP P.C. Mohan, Chickpet MLA Uday Garudachar, and Jayanagar MLA C.K. Ramamurthy.

Protestors expressed frustration over repeated delays in the launch of the Yellow Line, which has missed multiple deadlines. They also demanded a clear and realistic timeline for the line’s inauguration.

Addressing the gathering, Surya called for greater transparency from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). He urged the agency to release the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report, which has not yet been made public.

“Does the report have national security implications? If not, why is it being withheld? Commuters deserve to know the rationale behind a 100% fare hike. Transparency in fare policy is critical to building public trust,” Surya said. He posed five specific questions to BMRCL Managing Director M. Maheshwar Rao, seeking accountability.

Surya also criticized the delay in the implementation of Phase 3 of the Metro project. “The Union government approved Phase 3 within 100 days of taking office in 2024. More than a year has passed, but BMRCL has yet to float tenders for civil works. What is causing this delay? At the current pace, when can Bengalureans realistically expect completion?” he questioned.

Raising further concerns, Surya asked whether the proposed Hebbal–Sarjapur metro line would be impacted by the tunnel road planned along the same corridor. “If the Union government raises viability concerns, what will BMRCL’s official response be?” he asked.

BMRCL MD M. Maheshwar Rao arrived at the venue to receive the memorandum submitted by the protestors. Speaking to reporters, Rao assured that the Yellow Line is expected to be operational by August 15. He attributed the delay primarily to challenges in coach procurement.

Regarding Phase 3, Rao said the civil work tenders will be floated by October this year.

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