BENGALURU: Bengaluru Metro’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the elevated corridor between Silk Board and K R Puram (Outer Ring Road stretch) has now been made public, following the state government’s ‘in principle’ approval.
According to the report, the cost of the 17-km elevated stretch would work out to Rs 4,202 crore and is slated to be completed in three years. It will comprise 13 stations, including two junctions —one at Central Silk Board and another at K R Puram.
As per the proposal, Silk Board and K R Puram stations planned in Metro’s Phase-2 will be connected and converted into interchange stations. The ORR line will be an elevated standard gauge corridor with double line section, the report says.
Justifying the need for a Metro line along this route, the report says, “The ORR stretch accounts for 20% of the total commercial space absorption in India.” The working population of ORR is 4.5 lakh people and 15% of the city’s vehicular traffic uses this stretch, the DPR points out.
“On an average, 4.5 lakh cars use the stretch between Hebbal and Silk Board every day, which means that 18,750 vehicles are present every hour on the ORR,” it highlights. Employees lose 2 to 3 hours of travel time to cover a distance of 5 to 10 km during peak hours resulting in a loss of productivity of `20,713 crore annually.
The project recommends taking up this route alongside Phase-2 route. It would not pose major construction issues like Phase-I since it is fully elevated, it adds.