Namma Metro Red Line (Phase 3A): Hebbal to Sarjapur Route, Status and Buyer Checks
The Namma Metro Red Line is the planned corridor from Hebbal in the north to Sarjapura in the south-east of Bangalore. It is also called Phase 3A, and it is often mixed up with Phase 3, the Orange Line on the western Outer Ring Road. This guide sets out the Red Line route, its approval status in October 2026, how it differs from Phase 3, and what a home buyer along the route should check.
Phase 3A and Phase 3 Are Two Projects
The two names sound alike, but they describe separate lines in different parts of the city. Phase 3 is the Orange Line, with corridors from JP Nagar 4th Phase to Kempapura and from Hosahalli to Kadabagere. Phase 3A is the Red Line, a single corridor that crosses the city from Hebbal to Sarjapura. The table below compares them.
| Point | Phase 3 (Orange Line) | Phase 3A (Red Line) |
|---|---|---|
| Route | JP Nagar 4th Phase to Kempapura, and Hosahalli to Kadabagere | Hebbal to Sarjapura |
| Length | 44.65 km | 37.8 km in the revised plan |
| Stations | 31, all elevated | 28 in the plan the state approved, 11 of them underground |
| Estimated cost | Rs. 15,611 crore | Rs. 25,999 crore in the revised plan |
| Central approval | Given in August 2024 | Awaited |
| Stage in October 2026 | Civil tenders | Under appraisal by the central government |
The practical difference is the approval. Phase 3 has the sanction of the Union Cabinet and has moved to tenders. Phase 3A has the approval of the state alone, so its funding and its start date are still open.
The Red Line Route
The Red Line runs for 37.8 km in the revised plan. The plan the state approved had 28 stations, 17 of them elevated and 11 underground. About 14.28 km of the route is underground, through the centre of the city, and the rest is on a viaduct. The corridor falls into three stretches.
Hebbal to the city centre
The line starts at Hebbal and heads south through Ganganagar, Mekhri Circle and Palace Guttahalli. It then passes the golf course and Basaveshwara Circle to reach KR Circle and Town Hall. This stretch brings the metro to the Bellary Road side of the city centre, which has no station today.
City centre to Koramangala and Agara
From Town Hall the route continues through Shanthinagara and the NIMHANS area to Dairy Circle. It then crosses Koramangala, with stations planned at the 2nd Block and the 3rd Block, and goes on through Jakkasandra to Agara. The roads in this central belt are narrow, which is why the line goes below ground through the heart of the city.
Sarjapur Road
The last stretch is elevated and follows Sarjapur Road from Iblur on the Outer Ring Road. It passes Bellandur Gate, Kaikondrahalli, Doddakannelli and Carmelaram, and then runs through Muthanallur Cross and Dommasandra. The line ends at a terminal station in Sarjapura town.
Interchanges with Other Lines
Much of the value of the Red Line comes from where it meets the rest of the network. Four interchange stations are planned:
- Hebbal, with the Blue Line to the airport and the Orange Line
- KR Circle, with the Purple Line
- Dairy Circle, with the Pink Line
- Iblur, with the Blue Line on the Outer Ring Road
The Blue and Pink lines are under construction and the Orange Line is at the tender stage. The interchanges will work in full only when those lines are open as well.
Approval Status in October 2026
The Red Line has moved slowly through its approvals. The main steps so far are these:
- 6 December 2024: the Karnataka cabinet approved the project at an estimated cost of Rs. 28,405 crore
- After the state approval: the central government sent the project report back over the high cost per kilometre
- February 2026: the BMRCL revised the report, and the cost came down to Rs. 25,999 crore
- April 2026: the revised report went to the central government
- August 2026: the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs told the Rajya Sabha that the report was under detailed appraisal
The ministry gave no date for a decision. After the appraisal, the project still needs the clearance of the Union Cabinet before funds are released and tenders are called. The BMRCL hopes to begin civil work in 2027 and has spoken of 2033 for completion, and both dates depend on that approval.
What Changed in the Revised Plan
The revision was made to bring down the cost. The stations proposed at Veterinary College and Kodathi Gate were dropped, and a terminal station at Sarjapura was added. The underground stations were made smaller, and the underground length was trimmed from 14.44 km to 14.28 km.
The total length rose from 36.59 km to 37.8 km because the alignment was refined. A buyer who was shown an older station map should ask for the revised one. A home marketed as close to a dropped station is now further from the line than the brochure suggests.
Localities That Would Gain
Sarjapur Road has the most to gain, because it has no metro station today and depends on a single crowded road. The stretch from Iblur to Carmelaram holds a large number of apartment projects, and Dommasandra and Sarjapura town are growing fast. Koramangala would get its first stations as well.
In the north, Hebbal would become a major interchange with three lines. The areas near Bellandur would be served by the Blue Line first, with the Red Line adding a second route towards the city centre. These gains are real, but they belong to the 2030s.
How to Weigh a Planned Line
A metro line passes through four stages: proposed, approved, under construction and open. The Red Line is between the first two, since the central sanction is pending. Past lines in Bangalore have opened years after their first target, even with every approval in hand.
A sensible approach is to judge the home on what exists today. The road, the water supply, the schools and the commute at office hours should justify the price without the metro. The line can then be counted as a possible gain for a buyer who plans to hold the home for ten years or more.
Checks Before Booking Along the Route
These checks help to keep the metro claim in proportion. They are best done before the booking amount is paid.
- Confirm which line the brochure means, the Red Line or the Orange Line.
- Ask for the station on the revised 2026 alignment and measure the walking distance on a map.
- Drive the commute at office hours on the roads as they are today.
- Compare the price with a similar project away from the proposed line.
- Look up the project on the Karnataka RERA portal and match the phase and the completion date.
- Check how the monthly payment fits the budget with the EMI calculator.
A project that passes these checks is worth buying with or without the Red Line. One that depends on the metro to make sense carries a risk that the buyer cannot control.
