Metro Phase 3 project report to be ready by June: BMRCL

Nischith N | NT

Bengaluru: BMRCL still has deadlines to meet, many of which have been missed several times. Still there is no Metro line at Hebbal- Magadi Road despite it being a commercial hub. Now, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has claimed it will complete its Phase 3 project by 2024 as DPR for two corridors -JP Nagar-Hebbal along the Outer Ring Road (ORR West) and Magadi Road from the toll gate (Hosahalli station) to Kadabagere - will be completed by June.

As part of the Phase 3 project, BMRCL had previously proposed routes such as Carmelaram-Yelahanka, Marathahalli- Hosakerehalli, Bommasandra-Attibele, Gottigere-Basavanapura, RK Hegde Nagar-Aerospace Park, and Kogilu Cross- Rajanukunte. The preparation of the detailed project report (DPR), which was briefly suspended owing to a lull in traffic movement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was resumed recently. Now, the Corporation will prepare a DPR for the 105-kilometer Phase 3 corridor, according to the 2018-19 state budget.

“As everyone knows, getting approvals from the state and central, plans for finances, acquiring property will take some time. The DPR for the first phase of the 42-kilometre network (Byappanahalli- Mysore Road and Nagasandra-Yelachenahalli) was drafted in 2003, but the project was only finished in 2017. Similarly, this phase has also been delayed, but now everything is in place and it will be out by June”, said a senior BMRCL official. According to reports, BMRCL has now identified three lines for Phase-3 in 2019: Magadi Road from Hosahalli Metro Station to Kadabagere covering 12.8 km, Whitefield to Domlur covering 16 km, and Katamnallur Gate (Hoskote) - Sarjapur Road-Hebbal covering 52km. This phase also included a 34-kilometre subterranean Inner Ring route from Hebbal to JP Nagar (ORR-West). Later BMRCL prioritised two Phase 3 corridors in 2020: the 13-kilometer Magadi Road and the 42-kilometre JP Nagar- Hebbal.

RITES is preparing a DPR for the two corridors, which will help authorities to understand the financial feasibility to approach the government. It is also claimed that by 2030, Bengaluru will have a Metro rail network with a total length of 317 kilometers, of which right now only 56 kilometers of the network are active.