The Red Line or Hebbal-Sarjapura Line is a proposed metro rail line that will become part of Namma Metro's network in the city of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Phase-3A of Namma Metro has been planned to become operational around April 2033.
As per latest news updates, the Karnataka Cabinet had approved the Phase 3A of this metro line, linking Sarjapur in southeastern Bengaluru with Hebbal in the north on December 6, 2024. The approval from the Union Cabinet is awaited, as the Centre holds a 50% equity stake in Namma Metro.
History
Proposal The Hebbal–Sarjapur corridor was first identified as the Carmelaram–Yelahanka line in the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) 2020, and was subsequently considered for inclusion in the Namma Metro Phase 3 Detailed Project Report (DPR). However, when the final Phase 3 DPR was approved by the Karnataka Government in 2022, the corridor was omitted. The decision was met with widespread criticism from residents and commuters along the rapidly developing Sarjapur Road corridor, who argued that the area continued to suffer from severe traffic congestion despite being one of Bengaluru's fastest-growing residential and IT hubs.
In response to growing public demand, the Karnataka Government announced the Hebbal–Sarjapur corridor as a separate Phase 3A project. The proposal envisioned a 37 km metro line connecting Hebbal in north Bengaluru with Sarjapur in the southeast at an estimated cost of ₹15,000 crore. The corridor was planned to serve major localities including Dairy Circle, Koramangala, Agara, Bellandur, and Sarjapur Road. The initial proposal comprised 29 stations, of which 15 were planned to be underground, with approximately 16.8 km of the alignment passing below ground.
Initial DPR BMRCL subsequently invited bids for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report, which was submitted to the Karnataka Government in June 2024. The State Cabinet approved the DPR on 6 December 2024, following which it was forwarded to the Government of India for statutory approval. Compared to the original proposal, the DPR omitted the planned Sulikunte and Sudduguntepalya, stations while introducing a new station at Kada Agrahara Road. Several stations were also renamed, and the number of underground stations was reduced from 15 to 11. The finalized alignment measured 36.58 km, with an estimated project cost of ₹28,405 crore, making it the most expensive Namma Metro corridor on a per-kilometre basis.
The Government of India subsequently returned the DPR, citing concerns over the project's high construction cost, which was estimated at ₹776.3 crore per kilometre. In response, the Karnataka Government appointed the French engineering consultancy Systra to revise the project and identify cost-saving measures.
Revisions and Tenders A revised DPR was submitted in February 2026, introducing several design modifications. The stations at Veterinary College and Kodati Gate were removed, while a new Sarjapur Terminal station was added. The underground section was shortened by approximately 160 metres, although the overall corridor length increased from 36.58 km to 37.80 km due to alignment refinements. Underground station dimensions were also reduced from 200 × 27 metres to 170 × 21.5 metres, and interchange station layouts were redesigned to further reduce construction costs. These changes lowered the estimated project cost to ₹25,999 crore, after which the revised DPR was resubmitted to the Central Government for approval. As a result of the revisions and approval process, the anticipated opening of the corridor was deferred from 2031 to April 2033.
Funding
Estimated at Rs 16,543 crore, including land acquisition charges, the 37-km line is outlined in the Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2020. This proposed metro line is expected to ease travel for public commuting to and from tech zones. The alignment involves an elevated corridor near the IT corridor in Sarjapur, transitioning underground at Koramangala, traversing the central business district through tunnels, and emerging on Ballari Road with elevated stations at Ganganagar and Hebbal.
Tendering Red LinePre-Construction ActivityTenderingSectionActivitySuccessful Bid /CostContractorAwardPhase-3A/GTI/P1/2025/138Sarjapur to CarmelaramGeo-Technical InvestigationBecquerel Industries13 Feb 2026Phase-3A/GTI/P2/2025/139Carmelaram to Koramangala 3rd BlockGeo-Technical InvestigationBecquerel Industries13 Feb 2026Phase-3A/GTI/P3/2025/140Koramangala 3rd Block to KR CircleGeo-Technical InvestigationGoma Engineering13 Feb 2026Phase-3A/GTI/P4/2025/141KR Circle to HebbalGeo-Technical InvestigationRITES13 Feb 2026Total
Stations The Red Line (Hebbal-Sarjapura Line) is planned to have 28 stations.
Interchanges Passenger interchange facilities, connecting to other metro and railway lines, will be provided at the following stations:
(Connects to the Orange Line, which runs between JP Nagar 4th Phase and Kempapura and to the Blue Line, which runs from to KIAL Terminals) Krishna Rajendra circle (Connects to the Sir M. Visveshwaraya station, Central College metro station of the Purple Line, which runs between Whitefield (Kadugodi) to Challaghatta) Dairy Circle (Connects to the Pink Line, which runs between Nagawara and Kalena Agrahara) Agara (Connects to the Blue Line, which runs from to KIAL Terminals) Ibbaluru (Connects to the Blue Line, which runs from to KIAL Terminals)
Red Line#Station nameConnectionsStation layout(TBC) EnglishKannada1ಹೆಬ್ಬಾಳ (Under Construction) (Approved)Elevated2GanganagarಗಂಗಾನಗರElevated3Mekhri Circleಮೇಖ್ರಿ ಸರ್ಕಲ್Underground4Palace Guttahalli ಗುಟ್ಟಹಳ್ಳಿ ಅರಮನೆBangalore PalaceUnderground5Bengaluru Golf Courseಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಗಾಲ್ಫ್ ಕೋರ್ಸ್Underground6Basaveshwara Circleಬಸವೇಶ್ವರ ವೃತ್ತUnderground7KR Circleಕೆ.ಆರ್. ವೃತ್ತ (Sir M. Visveshwaraya station, Central College)Underground8Town Hallಟೌನ್ ಹಾಲ್Underground9Shanthinagaraಶಾಂತಿನಗರ Shanthinagar Bus TTMCUnderground10NIMHANSನಿಮ್ಹಾನ್ಸ್Underground11Dairy Circleಡೈರಿ ಸರ್ಕಲ್ (Under Construction)Underground12Koramangala II Blockಕೋರಮಂಗಲ II ಬ್ಲಾಕ್Underground13Koramangala III Blockಕೋರಮಂಗಲ III ಬ್ಲಾಕ್Elevated14Jakkasandraಜಕ್ಕಸಂದ್ರElevated15ಅಗರ (Under Construction)Elevated16ಇಬ್ಬಲೂರು (Under Construction)Elevated17Bellanduru Gateಬೆಳ್ಳಂದೂರು ಗೇಟ್Elevated18Kaikondrahalliಕೈಕೊಂಡ್ರಹಳ್ಳಿElevated19Doddakannelliದೊಡ್ಡಕನ್ನೆಲ್ಲಿElevated20Carmelaramಕಾರ್ಮೆಲರಾಮ್ Carmelaram Railway StationElevated21Ambedkar Nagaraಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ನಗರElevated22Muthanalluru Crossಮುತ್ತನಲ್ಲೂರು ಕ್ರಾಸ್Elevated23Dommasandraದೊಮ್ಮಸಂದ್ರElevated24SompuraಸೋಂಪುರElevated25Kada Agrahara Roadಕಡ ಅಗ್ರಹಾರ ರಸ್ತೆElevated26Sarjapuraಸರ್ಜಾಪುರElevated27Sarjapura Terminal Stationಸರ್ಜಾಪುರ ಟರ್ಮಿನಲ್ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣElevated
See also Namma Metro Purple Line Green Line Yellow Line Pink Line Blue Line Orange Line Grey Line Inner Ring Line List of Namma Metro Stations Rapid transit in India List of metro systems
References