President Mukherjee inaugurates Namma Metro; Bengaluru gets 42km long underground Green Line

President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday inaugurated Bengaluru's Green Line metro called Namma Metro, 10 years after then PM Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone. The 42-km Metro network is expected to fulfil the dream of lakhs of Bengalureans share-a hassle-free commute.

The Green Line section connects Mantri Square Sampige Road and Yelachenahalli will be open to the public from Sunday.

Here are top 5 things you need to know about the Namma Metro:

1. The Phase 1 of Bengaluru Metro is a 42-km long stretch and was firstly initiated in 2005. It comprises a 33.48-km elevated section and an 8.82-km underground section. There are 40 stations in total – 33 elevated and seven underground, and the maximum travel time on any stretch is 44 minutes.

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2. The Bengaluru Metro project is comprised of two lines — an 18-km east-west stretch and a 24-km north-south stretch.

3. The completion of Phase 1 took place on Saturday as the President’s inauguration of a 12-km stretch on the north-south green line, connecting Sampige Road and Yelachenahalli.

4. The cost for the phase I metro project had escalated from the initial projection of Rs 11,600 crore to Rs 14,200 crore.

5. After the commercial operation begins, over 5 lakh people are expected to use the metro daily. The metro is expected to reduce traffic woes on the city streets, according to Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited.

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