BENGALURU: The proposed 16.75-km Tunnel Road from KR Puram to Hebbal will cost 1.5 times more per kilometre than the Metro Red Line running along a similar corridor, with the respective detailed project reports (DPRs) pegging construction costs at Rs 1,061 crore and Rs 687 crore per km.
The DPR of the Namma Metro Phase 3A (Red Line) was made available on public platforms on Monday. A comparison of the DPRs for the Red Line and the proposed Tunnel Road Project highlights a sharp contrast in construction costs, with the Metro emerging as the less expensive option on a per kilometre basis despite serving a similar and a longer corridor through the city.
According to the DPR, the proposed 37.80-km Metro Phase 3A, connecting Sarjapur to Hebbal, is estimated to cost Rs 25,999 crore, translating to around Rs 687 crore per km. The corridor comprises 23.524 km of elevated viaduct with 17 stations and 14.28 km of underground section with 10 stations, totalling 27 stations.
In comparison, the proposed 16.75-km tunnel road is currently estimated to cost Rs 17,780 crore, or Rs 1,061 crore per km. With the possibility of the project cost to escalate by up to 45% by the time of completion, the per kilometre cost could rise to approximately Rs 1,538 crore.
The contrast extends beyond construction costs. While commuters on the Metro would pay a maximum fare of Rs 90, the proposed Tunnel Road is expected to levy a round-trip toll exceeding Rs 600, which will not allow all kinds of vehicles.
The Metro project’s cost has itself undergone scrutiny. In December 2024, the state cabinet approved the Phase 3A DPR at Rs 28,405 crore, or Rs 776.3 crore per km, making it the costliest Metro phase proposed in Bengaluru. However, after the DPR was submitted to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the Centre flagged the estimate as being significantly above benchmark norms. Subsequently, BMRCL dropped the proposed Veterinary College station, citing low ridership projections, reducing the project cost to Rs 25,999 crore.
Both projects broadly cater to the same travel corridor linking Southeast Bengaluru with the northern parts of the city. However, while one proposes a high-capacity mass transit system with 27 stations, the other is a tolled road tunnel primarily intended for vehicular traffic.