BMRCL could pick Kengeri for ORR section of metro Phase III

For the Phase III expansion of the metro along the Outer Ring Road, the BMRCL seems more inclined to pick Kengeri ahead of JP Nagar.

Though the metro rail corporation is holding feasibility studies on both routes, the relatively straightforward option provided by Kengeri seems more appealing to officials, who insisted that no decision has been taken yet.

They point to some teething issues in constructing the JP Nagar line, especially in connecting it with the Mysore Road station.

"There will be sharp turns in the line at the Mysore Road station, where the Phase  III line has to go above the Mysore Road-Kengeri line," said a senior official. "The Kengeri alignment would also steer clear of the Rani Chennamma
flyover and ORR cloverleaf junctions."

The Detailed Project Report or DPR, the blueprint for the project, is in progress, said BMRCL managing director in-charge, Mahendra Jain. "Right now, our focus is on finishing Phase II within the deadline," he said.

"As for Phase III, we're holding the feasibility studies and will ready the DPR soon. We estimate the cost to be Rs 250 crore per kilometre."

Why it is better  

In early 2017, the state government shelved the JP Nagar-Hebbal Light Rail Transit project and asked BMRCL to prepare a report on building a metro line along the Outer Ring Road. The rail authorities extended the KR Puram-Hebbal route it had already planned to accommodate the newer line.

But a senior BMRCL official pointed out that the Kengeri alignment is better, both in terms of convenience and connectivity.

"The Old Outer Ring Road with a broader median is more feasible than the ORR with heavy traffic density," he said, reiterating that a decision would only be taken after studying the feasibility reports on both JP Nagar and Kengeri routes.

The Kengeri route is envisaged a little further from the Kengeri police station. It would progress on a straight line along the north for nearly 10 km before turning right at Magadi Road and joining the Outer Ring Road at the Sumanahalli flyover.

The state government, however, must hurry with the roadwork on the Outer Ring Road and complete it in two years before BMRCL can start the building work of phase III. It specifically has to widen the stretch of the Outer Ring Road between the Tumakuru main road and BEL Circle, which is a two-lane route. A delay would only overlap the roadwork with the metro construction and severely inconvenience the public.

Sanjeev Dyamannavar, an expert on urban transit, said the BMRCL should connect Phase II lines with Phase III for better convenience.

In Nagawara, for instance, it has to provide appropriate connectivity as the Phase III line goes above the flyover at the junction, while the Gottigere line will be running underground.