Centre's nod awaited to extend Metro to Bengaluru Intl Airport

In future, Bangaloreans can reach Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) by Namma Metro, if the Central government approves the proposal of BMRCL.

Managing Director of BMRCL N Sivasailam said the Corporation had suggested to the Central government that the proposed Namma Metro corridor from Gottigere to Nagavara be extended up to the BIA, under Phase II. This would help reach the BIA faster, he added.

“While the High Speed Rail Link, proposed earlier, promised that one could reach the BIA in 29 minutes from the City’s core area, with the Metro it would take 44 minutes,” he said.
The proposed Metro line between Gottigere and Nagavara passes through core city areas and intersects Namma Metro Reach 1 line at Brigade Road Junction on MG Road.

Now there are only a few developed areas between Nagavara and BIA. Thus, reaching
the BIA will be faster, as there will be less number of stations on the way. Once the stretch is developed, however, the number of stations will increase and it might take 55 minutes to reach the airport, which is still not bad, said a senior BMRCL official.

Metro phase II

Noting that the detailed project report of Metro Phase II was in its final stages of verification by various departments in the Union government, Sivasailam said its estimated cost was Rs 26,405 crore. It includes four extension lines and two new lines totalling 72 km, he added.

The BMRCL chief said the Karnataka government would bear 30 per cent of the project cost under phase II, which would begin in three months. The Central government would bear 20 per cent of the cost. The remaining amount would be secured through senior term loans, he said.

To reduce the total project cost, the option of Public-Private Partnership would also be explored. This would help reduce the project cost by an estimated Rs 6,000 crore, he said.

The Namma Metro phase II is expected to be completed by 2017-18, he added.
 The completion of both the phases of Namma Metro will ensure smooth connectivity from Majestic to Whitefield in the east, Kengeri in the west, BIEC along Tumkur Road in the north and Anjanapura Township in the south. Under phase II, two new lines from Jayanagar to Electronics City and Gottigere to Nagavara will be useful, he said.