Bengaluru’s long-promised Metro link to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) finally has a deadline on paper: December 2027. Officials believe the Blue Line, running all the way from Central Silk Board Junction to the airport gates, will be among the most important stretches of track laid in the city’s modern history.
Bengaluru Airport Metro Project Timeline And Deadline
According to Hindustan Times, The numbers alone capture its scale: 58.19 kilometres in total, carved into two phases. Phase 2A runs 19.75 km from Central Silk Board to Krishnarajapura (K.R. Pura). Phase 2B, far longer at 38.44 km, pushes ahead from K.R. Pura to the airport. Together, they carry a price tag of ₹14,788 crore and the weight of Bengaluru’s hopes for faster airport commutes.
BMRCL says progress is finally visible. As of June 30, 2025, civil works stand at 52.5% completion. However, the momentum wasn’t always there. In 2023, a fatal accident at HBR Layout forced a nine-month halt on the airport-bound section. Construction has picked up since, but the pause was a reminder of how fragile timelines can be on projects of this scale.
The airport stretch is also unusual for another reason: its stations. Instead of the standard BMRCL blueprint, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) is developing two of them on its own terms. The Airport City station will sit at ground level, while the Airport Terminal station dives semi-underground, seven to eight metres below the surface. BIAL wants them to reflect the airport’s architecture rather than resemble the city’s other metro stops.
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Scale, Phases, And Investment In The Blue Line
On the trains themselves, a new experience awaits: driverless coaches, equipped with luggage racks and modern safety systems. The setup is tailored for air travellers, a demographic the rest of Namma Metro hasn’t directly had to cater to until now.
The detailed project report (DPR) for Phase 2A went in back in October 2016 and got Cabinet clearance the following March. The DPR for the airport line followed in September 2017, with approvals landing in January 2019.
BMRCL’s new Managing Director, J. Ravishankar, is now walking the line himself. His latest inspection covered the stretch between Hebbal and the airport, including the viaduct, half-built stations, and the under-construction Shettigere depot. Particularly sensitive are the cut-and-cover structures near Indian Air Force land and the railway crossings that could slow the corridor down if mishandled, as stated by Hindustan Times.
Officials who joined him stressed three priorities: stick to deadlines, hold the line on safety, and aim for infrastructure that matches Bengaluru’s global aspirations.
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The airport sits over 35 km from the city centre, and anyone who has sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the highway knows why this line matters. Once it opens, the Blue Line won’t just be another metro route; it will close the gap between the city’s IT hubs and its international gateway. For Bengaluru’s commuters, it brings the promise of speed, predictability, and relief.
Cover Image Courtesy: borishamer/CanvaPro (Representational Image)
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