Steps are being taken to prevent the space from turning into a dumping ground again, by installing new barricades, officials say.
| Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR
The areas under the metro pillars, which for months had been plagued by illegal garbage dumping, are now being restored.
Waste that once accumulated daily under the viaduct has been cleared, and officials said steps were being taken to prevent the space from turning into a dumping ground again, by installing new barricades.
The clean-up drive comes as the construction on the Pink Line’s elevated stations nears completion. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has confirmed that the much-anticipated Pink Line corridor will be opened in phases by September 2026.
The 7.5-km elevated section from Tavarekere to Kalena Agrahara, running along Bannerghatta Road, is expected to be commissioned by March 2026.
Saplings planted
A senior BMRCL official said that the civil works on the elevated portion have already been completed and testing activities are under way. “The prototype train for the Pink Line has recently been received and is being tested on the elevated stretch. As part of parallel works, we have begun clearing all garbage accumulated beneath the pillars and viaduct. Barricades have been installed to prevent further dumping, and saplings are being planted to improve the overall environment and aesthetics of the corridor,” the official said.
The issue of garbage dumping along this stretch had drawn public attention earlier. Residents had complained that heaps of mixed waste were being dumped illegally under the pillars, turning the area into an eyesore and a serious health hazard. The Hindu had reported the problem, ‘Garbage dumped under metro pillars turns Bannerghatta Road stretch into stinking blackspot,’ on October 20, 2025.
From Vega City Mall to Gurappanapalya, the under-construction Pink Line pillars had become a convenient dumping spot for residents, shopkeepers and passers-by. The problem was compounded by unauthorised posters, stickers and advertisements pasted across several pillars, further defacing the new infrastructure.
The officials said the stretch has been fully cleared. “All accumulated waste has been removed and the unauthorised posters and stickers have also been taken down. In the coming days, the pillars will be fully beautified with uniform designs and greenery, ensuring the space beneath the metro remains clean, organised and visually appealing,” they added.
Welcome move
The local residents have welcomed the move. “For months, this stretch was unbearable because of the stench and mosquitoes. The clean-up has made a huge difference, and we hope the BMRCL and civic agencies ensure it does not go back to how it was,” said Pavithra R., a resident of Arekere.
Another commuter Prasad V. Kumar, who uses Bannerghatta Road daily, said the change was long overdue. “The metro is a major public project, and it was painful to see the area beneath it treated like a landfill,” he added.
The 21.3-km Pink Line is a key component of Phase 2 of Namma Metro’s expansion, planned to connect Kalena Agrahara in the south to Nagawara in the north, creating a crucial north–south transit corridor. Of the total stretch, 13.8 km will run underground, while the remaining 7.5 km will be on an elevated viaduct.
Published – January 26, 2026 09:07 pm IST
