Hebbal to Sarjapura Metro: Where the Red Line (Phase 3A) Stands in October 2026
A metro line that runs from Hebbal through the middle of Bangalore and out to Sarjapura has been planned as Phase 3A, the Red Line. As of October 2026 it is approved by Karnataka but not yet by the Union government. The sections below describe the route and the money involved, show how the line differs from the Orange Line, and explain how a prospective buyer can use the information.
Two Different Lines With Near-Identical Names
Property advertisements sometimes blur Phase 3 and Phase 3A, so it helps to separate them first. The Orange Line is Phase 3 and consists of two corridors: Kempapura to JP Nagar 4th Phase, and Kadabagere to Hosahalli. Phase 3A, called the Red Line, is one unbroken corridor.
| Aspect | Orange Line | Red Line |
|---|---|---|
| Total distance | 44.65 kilometres | 37.8 kilometres, reworked |
| Stations | 31, all on a viaduct | 28 as approved by the state, 11 of them below ground |
| Budget | Rs. 15,611 crore | reworked figure of Rs. 25,999 crore |
| Union Cabinet nod | August 2024 | Awaited |
| Position now | Civil works being tendered | Being examined in the Centre's appraisal |
The gap in approvals explains the gap in progress. One line has cleared every sanction and is being tendered, while the other relies on a state decision alone.
Station by Station
Out of the 28 stations the state approved, 17 are elevated and 11 go underground, and nearly 14.28 km of track is below ground in the crowded centre. Three sections make up the line.
Hebbal down to Town Hall
Trains would leave Hebbal and pass Ganganagar first. Mekhri Circle, then Palace Guttahalli, follow, then the golf course area and Basaveshwara Circle, and the section ends with KR Circle, then Town Hall. Today there is no metro on this Bellary Road approach to the centre.
Town Hall to Agara
Next comes Shanthinagara, then the NIMHANS area and Dairy Circle. In Koramangala there would be one stop each in the 2nd Block and 3rd Block, before the line moves through Jakkasandra to Agara. Because the roads are narrow here, the whole section is planned underground.
Iblur to Sarjapura
The final section rises back above ground at Iblur and follows Sarjapur Road. Bellandur Gate, Kaikondrahalli and Doddakannelli come first, and Carmelaram, Muthanallur Cross and Dommasandra after them. The last stop would be in Sarjapura town.
The Four Places Where Lines Cross
Interchanges decide how useful a metro line is in daily life. The Red Line is meant to connect with other lines at four stations:
- Iblur: change here for the Blue Line along the ORR
- Dairy Circle: change here for the Pink Line
- KR Circle: change here for the Purple Line
- Hebbal: change here for the airport-bound Blue Line or the Orange Line
Work on the Blue Line and Pink Line is in progress and the Orange Line is at tender stage, so these connections will be complete only later. Until then, the Red Line works as a stand-alone corridor.
Why the Plan Was Rewritten
The central government objected to the cost per kilometre, so the BMRCL redrew the plan. It deleted two proposed stops, Kodathi Gate and Veterinary College, added a terminal at Sarjapura, and made the underground stations smaller. Below-ground length is now 14.28 km (it was 14.44 km), and fine-tuning of the alignment lifted the total to 37.8 km, up from 36.59 km.
The date trail looks like this:
- 6 December 2024: the state cabinet approves a Rs. 28,405 crore project
- February 2026: a new report brings the estimate down to Rs. 25,999 crore
- April 2026: the report reaches the Centre
- August 2026: a written reply in the Rajya Sabha says detailed appraisal is in progress
The ministry named no deadline. After appraisal, the Union Cabinet must clear the line before funds flow and contracts are awarded. Work is expected to begin in 2027 and finish around 2033 at best, subject to that clearance.
What It Could Mean for Local Markets
Sarjapur Road is the clearest beneficiary. It has no station now, depends on one busy road, and has many apartment communities between Iblur and Carmelaram, with Dommasandra and Sarjapura town growing as well. Koramangala would see its first stations.
Hebbal in the north would be a three-line junction. Bellandur gets the Blue Line first and would eventually add a second link to the centre. Treat these as gains for the 2030s.
A Sensible Way to Use This Information
Picture a ladder with four rungs: proposed, approved, being built and open. The Red Line has reached only the second rung at best. In Bangalore, lines with full clearance have still opened years behind the first target.
Value the home on what is there today, from the road and water supply to schools and the peak-hour commute. If those justify the price, a future station is a welcome extra for an owner planning to stay ten years or more.
Before paying a token amount, go through the following:
- Clarify whether the sales material means Phase 3 or Phase 3A.
- Ask for the project's station on the 2026 revised alignment and work out the walk from the gate to that station on a map.
- Drive from the site to your workplace at office hours.
- Compare the rate with a similar project that is far from the proposed line.
- Verify the phase and completion date on the project's K-RERA page.
- See what the instalment looks like in the EMI calculator.
A project that works without any metro treats the line as a bonus. One that needs it to work carries a risk the buyer cannot manage.
