BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is carrying out an exhaustive feasibility study that would expand its network by an additional 197 km.
These stretches will be an addition to the 255-km that will be added to Metro in the near future from the present operational network of 76.95 km, said sources.
A senior official told TNIE that feasibility study was presently on along eight stretches, including the extension of the Airport Line to Devanahalli, which was announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his budget recently.
The ongoing feasibility study covers the following stretches - Challaghatta to Bidadi in Ramanagara district- 15 km; Silk Institute to Harohalli (Kanakapura) - 24 km; Kalena Agrahara - Bannerghatta National Park-Jigani-Anekal-Attibele-Sarjapur-Varthur-Kadugodi Tree Park - 68 km, Bommasandra to Atibele - 11 km and Madavara to Tumakuru - 52.41 km.
Three more stretches totalling 27 km have been added just recently to the feasibility study, said the official. This extends from Kadabgere to Taverakere for 6 km (which will be an extension of Magadi Road line of Phase-3); a separate line branching from Doddajala to Devanahalli (Airport Line) for 6 km and K R Pura to Hoskote for 15 km.
He added that BMRCL expects to complete the 197-km feasibility study by July 2025 and submit it to the State government. “It is upto the government to select whichever routes they feel is necessary. They are likely to select 50 percent of what we present. So that may be, 95 km to 100 km, which would increase the Metro network in future to up to 350 km,” he said.
“The ongoing feasibility study would be an exhaustive one covering traffic analysis, stations, cost and sustainability factor and would be as elaborate as a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Only the Geo-technical survey will be missing in it,” he said. Hence preparing the DPR after this study would not take much time and only involve adding a few aspects, the official said.
Present status and immediate future
BMRCL is gearing up to make its Yellow Line for 19.15 km from R V Road to Bommasandra operational within the next two to three months. The Pink Line from Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara, the Blue Line (comprising the Silk Board to K R Pura and the K R Pura to KIA) are in line next, which have a 2026 deadline.
Phase 3 with two corridors from Kempapura to JP Nagar IVth Phase along ORR for 32.15 km and Kadabgere to Hosahalli via Magadi Road for 12.5 km has been approved by both the State and Central governments and the land acquisition process has begun. Phase -3A from Sarjapur to Hebbal planned for 36.59 km is yet to get the Centre’s nod.