BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has taken a significant step forward in realising the long-awaited Madavara-Tumukuru Metro corridor, with Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Saturday announcing that a detailed project report (DPR) has strongly recommended that it is feasible.
The DPR will be placed before the state cabinet for discussion, the minister said after receiving the DPR for the proposed corridor at Vidhana Soudha in the presence of Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department Tushar Girinath and senior officials of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL).
Connecting Madavara on Bengaluru’s outskirts to Tumakuru is expected to span around 50 km along the National Highway corridor. Parameshwara, who is also District in-charge Minister for Tumakuru, said the government has been working on the project for a considerable period.
“The chief minister had earlier announced that a feasibility study would be conducted. Around Rs 3.5 crore was spent for the study, which was carried out by a Hyderabad-based company. The report strongly recommended that the project is feasible,” he said.
Following the feasibility study, discussions were held regarding preparation of the DPR and BMRCL floated tenders for the same, the minister said. “They prepared the DPR after detailed discussions and submitted it to the government today (Saturday),” he added.
According to Parameshwara, the government is planning to implement the project under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and the estimated cost has been pegged at around Rs 20,000 crore. He said the DPR includes detailed aspects such as station locations, alignment and corridor planning along the national highway stretch.
“The report will now be placed before the cabinet. After discussion, Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will be invited and tenders will be floated. The process will then begin,” the minister said.
There has been considerable demand from several MLAs to extend the Metro to other suburbs and outlying areas.
“About 40% of the population in Kunigal moves to Bengaluru for jobs everyday. I would like the Metro to be extended to Kunigal, which is on the way to Tumakuru, to ensure that people stay here and not crowd Bengaluru,’’ Kunigal MLA Dr H D Ranganath told TNIE.
Magadi MLA H C Balakrishna said, “My town is about 25 km from the nearest Metro point in Tavarekere. It would be extremely useful for the residents of Magadi and surrounding areas if the Metro is extended up to Magadi. Alternatively they can extend it to Kunigal via Magadi also.’’
