A heavily congested Goraguntepalya Junction.
Credit: DH PHOTO/RANJU P
Bengaluru: To ease congestion at the Goraguntepalya Junction and simplify construction, Namma Metro has decided to trim its 32.15-km elevated corridor between JP Nagar 4th Phase and Kempapura by about 200 metres.
The revised 2.30-kilometre alignment, running from the Kanteerava Studio flyover to the Yeshwantpur railway yard, is expected to reduce project costs by Rs 669 crore.
This alternate plan, part of the Phase 3 project, was approved at a recent high-powered committee meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh.
The original alignment proposed a detour to merge with the existing Peenya metro station, enabling a seamless interchange. The revised plan connects to the Green Line using two travellators.
As per the Detailed Project Report, the earlier design required the metro viaduct to turn left after the Kanteerava Studio flyover, pass through Raja Industrial Estate, and cross over Tumakuru Road at the Phase 1 Peenya metro station.
This route would have required structures as tall as 46.5 metres to accommodate a double-decker flyover, especially at the Peenya station where the road gradient is steep. Officials also flagged technical challenges and higher costs due to construction over the operational metro line.
At the July 14 meeting, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) proposed the new alignment from the northern end of the Kanteerava Studio flyover to Yeshwantpur via the Goraguntepalya Junction. The route passes through properties of the Air Force and Aviation Electronics Inspection Specification Documentation Authority (ALISDA) and is expected to allow smoother traffic movement between Kanteerava Studio and BEL Circle.
Officials proposed travellators to connect the Peenya and Goraguntepalya stations for passenger convenience.
Namma Metro had presented the alternate alignment to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in February during his inspection of metro works from Hebbal to Mysuru Road. He had approved the plan.