ORR could get Metro link in four years, says BMRCL

Submits DPR to govt on 18-km line from Silk Board to KR Puram

The Outer Ring Road (ORR) could get Metro connectivity as early as in 2020, says the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) which has submitted a detailed project report (DPR) to the state government on the 18-km line from the Central Silk Board junction to KR Puram.

The BMRCL says it took just four weeks to prepare the DPR on the new line that will have 13 stations along the ORR, criss-crossing the congested IT corridor in eastern and southeastern parts of Bengaluru. The line will come under Phase 2A and improve connectivity to the congested IT corridor which sees at least 10 lakh people commute every day.

The BMRCL used in-house resources to prepare the DPR in record time. Preparation of the report is usually outsourced to consultants. “The report was prepared in just four weeks,” Pradeep Singh Kharola, managing director, BMRCL, told DH over phone.

Another official said the DPR had been submitted to the government for approval. The BMRCL would approach the Union government, too, for clearance and possible funding. The corporation has also completed topographic, land and property survey for the new line.

The BMRCL aims to open the much-needed Metro line by 2020 as the project needs minimal land acquisition. The alignment would come between the split flyovers, which were earlier designed for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS). The land to be acquired will be used to build the Metro stations.

The state government had dillydallied on the line for several years. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently announced that the new line would be funded under an innovative model. The line is estimated to cost Rs 3,600 crore. The government could rake in about Rs 2,000 crore through betterment charges, premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR), naming rights/advertising, premium accessways/ramps, airspace commercialisation and additional cess on approval of new projects and developments.

Some of the proposed Metro stations on the ORR will come up at: Silk Board junction, HSR Layout/Venkatapura, Agara junction, Iblur junction, Kadubeesanahalli, Marathahalli junction, ISRO, Mahadevapura and KR Puram.