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Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid for his Metro ticket during their ride on Bengaluru's newly inaugurated Pink Line, saying he had asked the Prime Minister to buy him a ticket because he was not carrying money.
"I did not have money with me, so I told him, 'you buy my ticket'. He swiped his card for me as well," Shivakumar told reporters on November 14, according to news agency PTI.
The exchange took place on November 13, when Modi inaugurated the 7.5-km elevated section of Namma Metro's Pink Line between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere.
Shivakumar recounted the incident while travelling on the newly opened corridor on Saturday. During the journey, he interacted with passengers, sought their feedback and spoke to the woman operating the train, according to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
'Politics should be restricted to elections'
Asked about his interactions with Modi, the Congress leader said political differences should not prevent the Centre and states from cooperating on development projects.
He said politics should be confined to elections, while governments must work together on infrastructure and other development priorities.
Shivakumar also described his relationship with Modi as one based on mutual respect, adding that he maintained good relations with leaders across political parties.
His remarks came amid disagreements between Karnataka's Congress government and the BJP-led Centre over financing Bengaluru's Metro expansion.
Centre-state disagreement over Metro funding
On November 13, Shivakumar submitted a memorandum to Modi seeking changes to the funding structure for Metro projects, arguing that states were bearing a disproportionate share of the costs.
The Chief Minister said Karnataka's financial burden exceeded 80 percent despite BMRCL being structured as a joint venture between the Centre and the state.
He cited land acquisition expenses, utility shifting, foreign loan repayments and cost escalations among the reasons for the higher burden.
However, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya disputed the state's calculations, arguing that foreign loans backed by the Centre had been counted as Karnataka's contribution.
What is Bengaluru Metro's new Pink Line?
Modi inaugurated the elevated corridor on November 13, with passenger services beginning the following day.
Built at approximately Rs 3,470 crore, the 7.5-km stretch has six stations and forms part of Bengaluru Metro's Phase 2 expansion.
The full Pink Line will extend approximately 21.26 km from Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara, comprising six elevated and 12 underground stations.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which supports the project through Japanese development assistance, said it had extended a loan of 52.036 billion yen for Phase 2 infrastructure, including signalling systems and rolling stock.
According to BMRCL's earlier schedule, the remaining underground section is targeted for completion in 2027, extending the corridor towards northern Bengaluru.
