Bengaluru | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the much-awaited "Yellow Line" of Bangalore Metro Rail, which is expected to ease traffic congestion in several heavily congested corridors connecting the city's IT hub.

The Prime Minister also took a metro ride from RV Road (Ragigudda) to Electronic City metro station and he interacted with students during the journey.

The over 19-km route from RV Road to Bommasandra of Bangalore Metro Phase-2 project worth around Rs 7,160 crore has 16 stations, officials said.

With the opening of the yellow line, the operational metro rail network in Bengaluru will increase to over 96 km serving a large population in the region.

According to officials, the new facility is expected to ease traffic congestion in several heavily congested corridors like Hosur Road, Silk Board Junction, and Electronics City Junction.

Noting that "3 train sets" have arrived for the yellow line and the fourth will arrive this month, Deputy CM and Minister in-charge for Bengaluru development, D K Shivakumar had recently said, three trains will operate now at an interval of 25 minutes.

The frequency would be increased to 10 minutes later.

A large number of people who had gathered on both sides of the road greeted the Prime Minister with "Modi, Modi" slogans and showered petals despite rain as his convoy made its way towards the Ragigudda station from KSR Bengaluru (city) railway station.

Modi too responded by waving at them from inside his car.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister of State, Shobha Karandlaje, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, among others were present.