Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew a comparison between India reaching the milestone of 100 chess Grandmasters and Bengaluru’s Namma Metro expanding its network beyond 100 km during his speech at the inauguration of the elevated section of the Pink Line of Namma Metro on November 13.
“We are continuously scoring centuries. D.K. Shivakumarji, I was mentioning this because you may have heard a few days ago that India scored a century in Grandmaster chess. India now has 100 chess Grandmasters,” Mr. Modi told the Chief Minister of Karnataka, referring to the expansion of the Namma Metro network.
He noted that Namma Metro, which had a network of just 17 km in 2014, had expanded to more than 100 km. With this achievement, Bengaluru has become the third metropolitan region in the country, after Delhi-NCR and Mumbai, to cross the 100-km mark in its metro network.
Describing Bengaluru as India’s Silicon Valley and a major engine of innovation and economic growth, the Prime Minister said that the Union Government was prioritising the development of the region and the creation of modern public infrastructure.
He said “Metro expansion reflected the government’s commitment to improving ease of living and making daily travel more convenient, particularly for middle-class families.”
Pink Line
Mr. Modi flagged off the elevated section of the Pink Line at S.G. Palya (Suddagunte Palya) Metro Station in the presence of Karnataka Governor Sudha Yadav and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
The Pink Line, part of Namma Metro’s Phase II, will connect Kalena Agrahara in south Bengaluru with Nagawara in north Bengaluru. The 21.25-km corridor comprises a 7.5-km elevated stretch and a 13.76-km underground section. Once fully operational, the corridor is projected to carry approximately 3.76 lakh passengers daily, according to the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
Following the inauguration, Mr. Modi travelled by Metro from S.G. Palya to Bilekahalli-IIMB Metro Station, accompanied by the Governor, the Chief Minister, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya.
Before entering the platform, the Prime Minister purchased a Metro ticket. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officials briefed him on the project before he boarded the train, a BMRCL source said.
According to an statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Mr. Shivakumar and Mr. Byre Gowda explained the Pink Line’s route and connectivity to the Prime Minister using a model map displayed at the station. The Chief Minister also briefed him on the advantages of implementing the double-decker model in Bengaluru and its potential to ease traffic congestion.
Connectivity and infrastructure development
In his address, Mr. Modi said “infrastructure development and improved connectivity played a crucial role in India’s economic growth by creating opportunities for employment, industry and progress. Better connectivity ensured that development opportunities reached every section of society, strengthening efforts to combat poverty. Nearly 50 crore people have emerged from extreme poverty in recent years, this is the progress to the expansion of development opportunities.”
He said that the newly inaugurated Pink Line would improve access to educational institutions, including the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), as well as major business, technology and commercial centres across the city.
The project, he said, would make commuting more convenient for millions of residents while helping them save time and money. He added that the infrastructure projects launched in Karnataka would strengthen Bengaluru’s identity as a technology hub and contribute to the vision of a developed India.
Railway expansion and new services
Highlighting the expansion of railway infrastructure in Karnataka, the Prime Minister said the state’s railway budget had increased ninefold over the past decade.
He said Karnataka had recently received its first Vande Bharat Sleeper train and had now received another Vande Bharat service connecting the state with Goa. The new service, he said, would provide passengers, including those travelling from Bengaluru and the coastal region, with a semi-high-speed travel experience.
Mr. Modi also announced four additional Amrit Bharat Stations and two projects involving railway track doubling and electrification in the state.
More than 60 railway stations in Karnataka have been selected for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme, he said. Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur and Subramanya were among the stations identified for upgrades.
Focus on clean energy
The Prime Minister also highlighted three energy-related projects in Karnataka, including an expanded LPG bottling plant, a marketing terminal and a Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant in Bengaluru, as part of efforts to strengthen India’s energy security.
The CBG plant at the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) premises in Bengaluru is expected to produce around 13 tonnes of biogas daily. Mr. Modi said the facility would support better waste management while helping reduce dependence on imported natural gas.
Highlighting India’s clean energy progress, he said the country’s renewable energy capacity had crossed 300 GW.
He further said more than 40,000 households in Karnataka had installed rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, receiving assistance of around ₹80,000 per household.
Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, more than eight lakh solar pumps were being used to support irrigation in Karnataka, he added.
PM remembers Ananth Kumar
Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to former Union Minister and Bengaluru South MP Ananth Kumar, recalling his close association with the region.
Noting that Thursday marked Kumar’s death anniversary, Mr. Modi said the late leader had a special attachment to Bengaluru. He added that witnessing the inauguration of the Pink Line of Namma Metro would have brought immense joy to Ananth Kumar.
Published – November 13, 2026 03:34 pm IST
