BENGALURU: The Union Cabinet gave the green signal to Bengaluru Metro’s Rs 15,611-crore Phase-3 project on Friday night, said multiple BMRCL sources. The approval has come one year and nine months after the state initially submitted it to the Centre for clearance.
The 44.65-km project consists of two elevated stretches -- Corridor 1 runs to 32.15 km on the Western side of Outer Ring Road and connects JP Nagar Phase 4 with Kempapura, while Corridor 2 runs for 12.5 km on Magadi Road and connects Hosahalli and Kadabagere. The project deadline was fixed for 2029 after the State government gave its final approval on March 14 this year.
A top BMRCL official said, “We will do our best to complete the project as quickly as possible. The preliminary process of land acquisition has already started.”
The crucial project suffered an enormous delay in getting the clearance. The state initially approved the project on November 18, 2022 at a cost of Rs 16,328 crore with a 20% share to be borne by Karnataka and the rest by the Centre through external borrowings, said a source.
The proposal was submitted to the Centre in February 2023, but the Union government wanted the cost reduced. The state pruned it to Rs 16,041 crore in a revised report submitted by June-end in 2023 with the consultancy firm RITES removing the escalation cost calculated for rolling stock.
The cost was further lowered in the final proposal. The Detailed Project Report kept going back and forth between the state and Union governments with numerous clarifications sought by the Centre. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha elections were announced and the model code of conduct came into force.
The state government then gave its nod for the revised project cost of Rs 15,611 crore on March 14 this year. It also decided to bear 80% of the cost of the project unlike in the past and announced a deadline of 2029.
The Centre’s Public Investment Board cleared it in May 2024 and the Union finance ministry cleared it last month. Urban development officials made a presentation to the PMO and the Cabinet nod was awaited.
The Metro Phase-3 will provide multi-modal integration at ten locations by interchanging with BMTC, railway stations and the proposed suburban rail. A major thrust has been given to last-mile connectivity.
The Phase-3 lines are expected to carry a daily average of 9.12 lakh passengers by 2051.
City will have 220.2 km of Metro rail network
A release from PIB said on operationalisation of Phase-3, Bengaluru city will have 220.2-km of active Metro rail network. The project will become operational by 2029, it added. The release said, “It will provide direct connectivity to the airport and Outer Ring Road east as a continuous ring connecting major IT clusters and connectivity to various parts of the city.” The Blue Line from Silk Board to KR Pura covers the eastern part of ORR and it will integrate with Phase-3 at Hebbal.