BENGALURU: The Light Rail Transit System (LRTS), one of the mega projects proposed over a decade ago to decongest the city’s traffic, will now be entrusted with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). This follows a decision by the state government recently to shift the project from the Infrastructure Department to the Urban Development Department.
The Bangalore Airport Rail Link (BARL) has been the nodal agency for the project. The proposed 42-km elevated project is likely to be extended by 2-km and is expected to cost between Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 11,000 crore.
Confirming the development to Express, Additional Chief Secretary, UDD, Mahendra Jain said, “Since Metro would be covering the Eastern portion of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) connecting K R Puram and Silk Board under the Metro Phase-2A, it has been decided to entrust it with the Western portion of ORR where the LRT has been conceived.”
“Instead of having two agencies to implement rail projects on this road, we have now decided to bring it under one agency. The Managing Director of BMRCL will also take over as the MD for the LRTS,” Jain said.
Asked if the LRT would be completed by 2020, the deadline for Metro’s Phase-2 and 2A, Jain said no time frame had been decided upon yet.LRTS was proposed under the Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Plan for the city In 2007. BARL Projects (Director) C Jayaram denied any major delay in its implementation. “It was in May 2010 that tenders were called for an agency in connection with Detailed Project Report. The DPR was ready in 2013 and placed before the government.”
“The proposed cost of the project was `8,000 crore then and it has now increased to `10,000 crore,” he said. The Cabinet gave its approval on September 1, 2016. Asked about the lack of any budgetary allocation in this state budget, Jayaram said, “The project will be funded by Innovative Financing methods as has been planned for the K R Puram-Silk Board route.”
The LRTS will be completely elevated and is aimed to complement Metro’s Phase-II, he added. “It is expected to be slightly cheaper than Metro Rail,” he said.