Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated key metro infrastructure projects worth approximately ₹22,800 crore in Bengaluru, Karnataka, marking a major milestone in the city’s urban development. The event included the inauguration of the Yellow Line of the Bangalore Metro, valued at around ₹7,160 crore, and the laying of the foundation stone for Bangalore Metro Phase-3, estimated at over ₹15,610 crore. The Prime Minister also flagged off three Vande Bharat Express trains from KSR Railway Station, connecting Bengaluru to Belagavi, Nagpur to Pune, and Amritsar to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister lauded Bengaluru’s role as a symbol of New India’s growth, combining philosophical heritage with technological excellence. He paid tribute to the city’s visionary founder, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, and noted that the new metro lines and Vande Bharat services will enhance connectivity, reduce travel times, and improve ease of living for millions. He highlighted that the Yellow Line, stretching from RV Road to Bommasandra, will significantly cut travel time between Basavanagudi and Electronic City, while the Orange Line of Phase-3 will, upon completion, boost daily metro ridership to 25 lakh passengers.
Shri Modi praised the innovative funding model for certain metro stations through contributions from corporate entities such as Infosys Foundation, Biocon, and Delta Electronics. He described this public–private cooperation as a benchmark for future infrastructure initiatives.
The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to reflect on Operation Sindoor, underscoring the nation’s enhanced defence capabilities and technological strength. He noted that India’s ability to neutralise terrorist threats deep across the border and to compel adversaries into retreat was a testament to the country’s resolve and the contributions of Karnataka’s youth in advancing defence technology.
Highlighting India’s economic trajectory, Shri Modi stated that in the past eleven years, the nation has moved from the tenth to the fifth-largest economy in the world and is now aiming for a top-three position. He emphasised that India is currently the fastest-growing major economy, driven by reforms, performance, and transformation across sectors. Infrastructure growth has accelerated, with metro networks expanding from five cities in 2014 to over 1,000 km across 24 cities today, and railway electrification doubling to over 40,000 km in the same period.
The Prime Minister stressed that India’s journey to becoming a developed nation will advance alongside Digital India, with initiatives such as the India AI Mission, Semiconductor Mission, and expansion of digital services to every village. He called for self-reliance in technology, urging greater domestic innovation in software, hardware, and manufacturing, and adherence to the Zero Defect, Zero Effect principle for sustainable production.
Concluding his address, Shri Modi reaffirmed that both central and state governments must work collaboratively to implement reforms, enhance governance, and focus on aspirational districts and blocks. He expressed confidence that Karnataka will continue to lead in driving India’s vision of a Viksit Bharat.