Whitefield metro by December 2021: Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa

The much-awaited metro line to Whitefield will be ready by December 2021, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

In a written reply, Yediyurappa, who holds the Bengaluru City Development portfolio, said that 65% of the civil works on the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line was done.

“It has been planned to complete the works by December 2021,” he added.

The Whitefield metro line is part of the Namma Metro Phase-2, which will have a 72-km network.

Yediyurappa, in another response, said the Bommasandra-Attibele line, which was proposed under the Phase-3, was not feasible.

“As per the criteria fixed by the Centre for metro projects, this extension line does not have feasibility,” Yediyurappa said. The Bommasandra-Attibele line was announced in the 2018-19 budget presented by the then chief minister Siddaramaiah.

Providing a comparison of fares, Yediyurappa said Namma Metro charged Rs 60 for 24 km, whereas the Chennai Metro charged Rs 70 for the same distance. The Mumbai Metro costs Rs 40 for 11 km and Kochi Metro charges Rs 60 for 22 km, he said.

“There is no proposal to revise the fares as they are affordable. In the present network, the fare is Rs 2.75 per km in a safe and fast manner in air-conditioned bogeys,” he said. The chief minister also ruled out hiking the smart card discount from the present 5%.

On implementing a common mobility card that will work for both metro and BMTC, Yediyurappa said it will be ready by March 2021.