Bengaluru is gearing up for a significant weekend as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the city on August 10, 2025, for a series of high-profile events that mark both technological progress and cultural celebration. The Prime Minister’s itinerary includes the inauguration of the much-anticipated Yellow Line of the Namma Metro, laying the foundation stone for the ambitious Phase-3 metro expansion, and flagging off three new Vande Bharat Express trains. Meanwhile, the city and the nation are also celebrating World Sanskrit Day, a moment to reflect on India’s ancient linguistic heritage and the government’s efforts to revive it.
According to The Federal, Modi’s visit is expected to draw large crowds and dignitaries, prompting the Bengaluru Traffic Police to issue detailed advisories and implement traffic diversions across major arteries of the city. The official advisory states, “An inauguration event of the Yellow Metro Line will be held on 10.08.2025 near Ragigudda Metro Station on Marenahalli Main Road which falls under the jurisdiction of Jayanagar Traffic Police Station. A large number of dignitaries and public are expected to attend the inauguration ceremony.” The advisory goes on to outline specific restrictions and alternative routes to help commuters navigate the city during the event.
Between 8:30 am and 2:30 pm, several key stretches—including Marenahalli Main Road, Silk Board, Hosur Road, and roads in Electronic City Phase 1—will see restricted access or temporary parking bans. Commuters are being advised to use alternative routes such as Sarakki Market Road, 8th Main–9th Cross Road Junction, and Outer Ring Road to avoid congestion. Parking will be temporarily prohibited on Marenahalli Main Road, 4th Main Road, and 18th Main Road, ensuring that the event proceeds smoothly and emergency services remain unhindered.
The Prime Minister’s schedule is packed. He is expected to land at HAL Airport at 10:30 am. From there, he will travel to KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station via a combination of helicopter and road transport. Around 11 am, he will flag off three Vande Bharat Express trains connecting Bengaluru to Belagavi, Amritsar (via Katra, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi), and Nagpur (Ajni) to Pune. These trains are part of India’s push to modernize its rail infrastructure and improve connectivity between major cities, a move that has been met with enthusiasm from both business and leisure travelers.
The centerpiece of the day’s events is the inauguration of the Yellow Line of the Namma Metro, which stretches over 19 kilometers from Ragigudda to Bommasandra, featuring 16 stations and a total project cost of approximately Rs 7,160 crore. As reported by The Federal, this new line will push Bengaluru’s metro network to 96 kilometers, a significant leap for a city grappling with rapid urbanization and mounting traffic woes. Notably, the Yellow Line will be the first in the city to feature driverless trains, aided by artificial intelligence (AI), signaling a new era in Indian urban transit.
After the inauguration, Modi will board the Yellow Line and travel to Electronics City, a hub for India’s IT sector. There, at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), he will officially inaugurate the completed segment and lay the foundation for Phase-3 of the metro. This next phase is even more ambitious, with a projected cost exceeding Rs 15,610 crore and a planned length of over 44 kilometers. The expansion is expected to further ease traffic congestion, connect more neighborhoods, and support the city’s burgeoning population.
By 2:45 pm, the Prime Minister is scheduled to depart Bengaluru for New Delhi, wrapping up a whirlwind visit that underscores the government’s commitment to infrastructure development and urban modernization. The city’s residents, while bracing for temporary inconveniences, are largely optimistic about the long-term benefits. As one local official put it, “The expansion of the metro is not just about convenience; it’s about shaping the future of Bengaluru.”
While Bengaluru buzzes with anticipation for these infrastructural milestones, the nation is also reflecting on its cultural roots. On August 9, India celebrated World Sanskrit Day, which coincided with Shravan Poornima, an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar. According to IANS, Prime Minister Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to mark the occasion, stating, “Today, on Shravan Poornima, we mark World Sanskrit Day. Sanskrit is a timeless source of knowledge and expression. Its impact can be found across sectors. This day is an occasion to appreciate the effort of every person around the world who is learning and popularising Sanskrit.”
Modi further highlighted the government’s decade-long initiatives to revive and popularize Sanskrit, mentioning the establishment of Central Sanskrit Universities, Sanskrit Learning Centres, grants to scholars, and the Gyan Bharatam Mission, which aims to digitize ancient manuscripts. “Over the last decade, our Government has undertaken many efforts to make Sanskrit popular. These include setting up Central Sanskrit Universities, Sanskrit Learning Centres, providing grants to Sanskrit scholars and the Gyan Bharatam Mission to digitise manuscripts. This has benefitted countless students and researchers,” Modi said in another post.
The celebration of Sanskrit’s legacy found resonance with other leaders as well. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath echoed the sentiment, describing Sanskrit as “the expression of India’s soul, the vibration of the sages’ voice, and an eternal source of timeless knowledge.” He called on citizens to “preserve, promote, and use this nectar-like language in daily life.”
World Sanskrit Day, often referred to as Devavani Divas, is dedicated to honoring Sanskrit, widely regarded as one of the oldest and most structured languages in human history. While it’s no longer a language of daily conversation, Sanskrit continues to thrive in rituals, classical music, philosophical texts, and academic research. The day’s celebrations are designed to promote Sanskrit learning and to acknowledge its continuing relevance in India’s cultural and spiritual life.
The convergence of these two events—Bengaluru’s infrastructural leap and the celebration of Sanskrit—offers a snapshot of India’s unique blend of tradition and modernity. On one hand, the country is investing heavily in technology, urban mobility, and rail connectivity, as seen in the rapid expansion of the metro and the launch of new Vande Bharat trains. On the other, it remains deeply connected to its ancient roots, celebrating a language that has shaped its philosophical, spiritual, and intellectual traditions for millennia.
For Bengaluru, the opening of the Yellow Line and the promise of future metro expansions represent more than just new tracks and stations. They signal a commitment to tackling the challenges of urban growth, improving the quality of life, and making the city more accessible. For the nation, World Sanskrit Day is a reminder that progress need not come at the expense of heritage—that a country can stride confidently into the future while carrying its past with pride.
As the city prepares for the Prime Minister’s arrival and the nation celebrates Sanskrit, India stands at a crossroads where innovation and tradition walk hand in hand—each strengthening the other in the journey ahead.
