Bangalore Metro to Expand Further

Bangalore June 29 2013: Notwithstanding the conditional clearance by the Public Investment Board for Metro phase 2, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has drawn up plans for phases 2A and 3.

 “BMRCL has identified Phases 2A and 3 network, which will connect important areas like Ring Road, Magadi Road, South-East Bangalore areas, Old Madras Road, Sarjapur, Koramangala and Yelahanka,” a statement issued here said.

According to BMRCL, Phase 2A also envisages extension of the Metro line from Nagavara to Bengaluru International Airport (BIA). “It is very important to connect radial lines by circle line to optimise the sectional loadings,” the statement said.

Phase 2 extends up to 72 km while phases 2A and 3 are 150-km long.

The five lines are: 23.37-km-long Nagavara to BIA, 64.37-km-long Outer Ring Road (Hebbal to Ganapathi Temple, Bannerghatta Road via Silk Board and Ganapathi Temple Road to Hebbal), 21.31-km-long Hosakerehalli to Outer Ring Road, 8.89-km-long Peripheral Ring Road to Tollgate and 33-km-long Sarjapur to Yelahanka.

The statement pointed out that the DPRs have already been prepared by the Bangalore Airport Rail Link Limited with regard to  Peripheral Ring Road to Tollgate (Magadi Road). The BMRCL said it would take at least six to nine months to complete the pre-feasibility studies of the proposed lines, while it would take about 18 months for the DPRs to be prepared.

Once all the phases, including 2A and 3 are complete, Bangalore will boast of a Metro network of 265-km, which the BMRCL says is essential for tier-I cities like Bangalore to decongest the roads and promote public transport.

Financial aspects

Following the conditional approval for phase 2, the BMRCL will revisit the financial issues of the project, based on the deliberations made at the Public Investment Board (PIB) meeting, to fulfil the financial internal rate of return set by the PIB.

Sources in the BMRCL said that the Corporation, which is bound by certain conditions to get the project approved officially, is even willing to consider increasing the fares in order to meet the same.

Sources said the memorandum of understanding between the BMRCL, the Government of Karnataka and the Centre will also address the needs.