BENGALURU: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will soon float tenders for the Silver Line of Namma Metro’s Phase 3, connecting Hossahalli Metro Station to Kadabagere along Magadi Road, after a prolonged delay.
However, execution on the ground is expected to be slow and significantly more expensive as the 12.15-km corridor will be implemented as a double-decker project.
According to BMRCL officials, while preparatory work is nearing completion, the unique design, comprising a surface road, flyover and elevated Metro line, will reduce construction speed and increase costs.
“Presently, Namma Metro is constructed at an average pace of 7–8 km per year, which will be further slowed down to 3–5 km per year as it will be a double-deck project,” a BMRCL official, seeking anonymity, told The New Indian Express.
Experts working with BMRCL said execution of Metro rail projects in Bengaluru has been the slowest in the country, and the double-decker scheme is likely to exacerbate delays.
They pointed out that Metro work began in Bengaluru in 2002, and by 2027 the target was to achieve 175 km, translating to about 8 km per year. However, this projection did not factor in additional flyover construction. In the last 14 years, only 96.1 km has been completed.
The experts also expressed concern over the cost of execution. “The BMRCL had calculated that the elevated Metro line will cost Rs 15,611 crore. This will include the State and Centre’s contribution. The State government has further assured an additional Rs 9,700 crore for the flyover construction. But whether the amount will be released on time remains to be seen,” one expert said.
BMRCL officials said the tender documents have been prepared and tenders will be floated soon. “However, the date has not been finalised. The contract will be awarded in six months. Ground work will start in June 2026. It will take five-and-a-half years for completion of the project from the time work starts on the ground,” BMRCL officials said.
The BMRCL undertook ground and soil testing in 2024, and ground work was initially planned to begin in 2025.
“The State government took time to decide and issue orders that henceforth all elevated Metro projects will be double-decker, meaning a road at the surface, a flyover and an elevated Metro line. This delay from the State government delayed the Metro work,” the official said.
The project was also delayed as approval was awaited for one of the tallest Metro stations at Summanahalli Cross, along with other tall stations at Jayadeva Hospital, Goraguntepalya and Mysuru Road.
The official added that while exercises for land acquisition and tree felling have begun, progress has been slow due to a lack of coordination with government and private agencies and delays in securing permissions.