Bengaluru Metro Phase 2: Delays push up cost by Rs 10,000 cr

Bengaluru: Prolonged construction delays and higher land requirements among other things have increased the cost of Namma Metro's Phase 2 by nearly Rs 10,000 crore. 

The cost of the 75.06-km Phase 2, over half of which is still under construction, has gone up from Rs 30,695 crore to Rs 40,614.27 crore. The Finance Department okayed the revised cost and sent it to the state cabinet for approval.

The cabinet discussed the matter on Friday but deferred a decision. "We have sought some additional details and will take it up later," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil told reporters.

LK Atheeq, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance Department), told DH that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) board had discussed the reasons for cost escalation before giving approval.

Phase 2 consists of four extensions and two new lines. Its construction began in February 2016 with a 2020 deadline. But fast forward to December 2024, only 34.65 km has been operationalised. Of the two new lines, the Yellow Line (RV Road-Bommasandra, 19.15 km) has long been ready but commercial operations haven't begun for want of trains. The deadline for the Pink Line (Kalena Agrahara-Nagavara; 21.26 km) has been pushed to December 2026.

A senior BMRCL official cited civil work delays, an additional station (Challaghatta), a big depot at Challaghatta, 258 additional coaches, a double-deck (metro-cum-road) flyover from Ragigudda to Silk Board Junction, higher land requirements and foreign exchange variations for the cost to increase by Rs 9,919.27 crore. Of this, civil construction alone is estimated to cost Rs 4,400 crore, he said.

Going by the revised estimation, Phase 2 will cost Rs 541.09 crore per kilometre. To put the scale into perspective, Phase 1 (42.3 km; Rs 14,133.11 cr) cost Rs 334.11 crore per km and Phase 2A/2B (58.19 km; Rs 14,788.10 cr) Rs 254.13 cr per km. Phase 2A/2B, which is also under construction, may also see a cost escalation. 

Phase 3 (44.65 km), which has received all statutory approvals, will cost Rs 15,611 crore, or Rs 349.63 crore per km. Phase 3A (36.59 km), which was cleared by the state cabinet on Friday, will cost Rs 28,405 crore, or Rs 776 crore per km, the most expensive in Namma Metro's history. 

Phase 2 gets costlier

Length: 75.09 km (4 extensions, 2 new lines)

Operational: 34.65 km

Under construction: 40.41 km

Cost: Rs 40,614.27 cr (up from Rs 30,695 cr)

Start date: February 2016

Original deadline: 2020

Revised deadline: December 2026