Unlike other mass transit systems that have been given a cold shoulder in the 2022-23 Budget, Namma Metro is set to expand. In his budget speech on Friday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced a new metro line from Sarjapur to Hebbal. The estimated project cost for the 37-km line via Agara, Koramangala and Dairy Circle is ₹15,000 crore.
When asked about the project, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) Managing Director Anjum Parwez told The Hindu that the proposed metro line would cover many areas in the Central Business District as well. “Around 16.80 km from Koramangala to Hebbal will be underground,” he said It will cover several important locations such as Bellandur, Agara, St John’s Hospital, NIMHANS, Central College, Cunningham Road, Mekhri Circle and others.
The government has announced that the detailed project report for Phase III of Namma Metro will be submitted to the Central government. Two new lines have been proposed under Phase III: one that will connect J.P. Nagar to Hebbal covering a distance of 13 km, and the other from Hosahalli to Kadabagere. The total cost of the project is estimated at ₹11,250 crore.
On the status of ongoing metro projects (under phase II and Phase II a & b), the budget stated that by the next financial year, 33 km of under construction metro line will be operationalised. “BMRCL is contemplating opening a stretch on the Yellow line from Bommasandra to the Central Silk Board by the next financial year. For this, a depot near Electronic City will be made operational,” said Mr. Parwez. Other stretches that are slated to be made operational during the same period are Baiyappanahalli–Whitefield on the Purple line and Nagasandra to Madavara on Tumakuru Road.
“The R.V. Road to Central Silk Board stretch, which is part of Yellow Line, will be opened at a later stage as the metro-cum-rail flyover work will take more time to complete,” he added.
Mr. Bommai said that the 58-km metro line from Central Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will be completed by March 2025.
Suburban rail project will begin soon
The budget stated that the 148-km suburban metro line in the city will be completed by 2026. In his speech, the CM said that civil works from Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara will commence soon. Rail Infrastructure Development Company(Karnataka) Limited (KRIDE), the implementing agency, has already floated the tenders for this corridor.
