Bengaluru will have 175 km of metro line by December 2027: Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday announced that 175 km of metro line network will be operational in Bengaluru by December 2027.

Addressing a press conference after holding a meeting with BMRCL officials on the progress of metro construction, he said, “Our government is working towards easing traffic congestion in the city. Currently, 96 km of metro network is operational. We have operationalized Yellow line after we assumed office. The 24-km Yellow line has a footfall of 1 lakh passengers. According to the police, traffic has come down by about 30% on the roads along Yellow line.”

“We will operationalize 41 km metro network in 2026 and additional 38 km including Airport line by December 2027. With this, Bengaluru will have a metro network of 175 km. We have plans to extend metro line to Tavarekere, Hosakote, Bidadi, Nelamagala. DPR is being prepared for this,” he explained.

“We will call for tender next month for 100 km of metro network under Phase 3, including double decker corridor. We have expedited the project to ease traffic congestion in the city. We have instructed the officials to create commercial activity near Metro station by acquiring more land. Parking will also be made available at the metro stations.

“The projected cost of Phase 3 of Namma metro is Rs 25,311 crore. We are financing Rs 15,600 for the project through JICA. The tender for works to the tune of Rs 9,700 crore will be called in January,” he said.

Asked if the entire Phase 3 would be converted into double decker corridor, he said, “The entire Phase 3 will be in double decker format. We have decided to make the Magadi Road stretch also a double decker project as vehicular traffic from Hassan comes via Magadi Road.”

Asked about reports of Adani being the lowest bidder for tunnel road project, he said, “I haven’t received complete information on this. I can’t comment on it until bids are officially revealed.”

Asked about lowest bid amount being much higher than the original estimates, he said, “The government is not paying any money to the bidder. The bidder has to invest in the project and we will give them only 40% of our estimates. I got cost of metro from Mumbai. They are spending Rs 1,200 crore per km.”