'Is it the right option?': Building metro from Bengaluru to Tumakuru is urban planning nightmare: Tejasvi Surya

BMRCL has floated tenders for preparing DPR for the 59.6-km metro corridor; MP says government should instead focus on developing long-pending suburban rail project and improving connectivity to Tumakuru

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. move to float tenders for preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for the 59.6-km metro corridor between Madavara in Bengaluru and Tumakuru has come in for criticism from BJP MP Tejasvi Surya who has said the government should instead focus on developing the long-pending suburban rail project and improving connectivity to Tumakuru.

This line is estimated to cost Rs 20,896 crore with 27 stations, including two planned for the future.

"Tumakuru needs world class connectivity to Bengaluru. No doubt. But is metro the right option? Building a metro to Tumakuru is an urban planning nightmare. The exorbitant cost involved to build it just does not make sense – this is what we have suburban trains for," the Bengaluru South MP said in a post on X on Monday.

"But instead of developing the long-pending suburban rail & improving connectivity to Tumakuru, the Congress Govt once again wants to spend crores on preparing a DPR for a metro project that will take years and years to see fulfilment. Think about it. The metro’s average operating speed is around 34 km/h, making it similar to a bus for long inter-city journeys."

The project has drawn flak since it was mooted by Home Minister G Parameshwara, who is also Tumakuru district in-charge Minister, nearly two years ago.

Critics say metro rail is better suited for intra-city travel while a suburban railway or Rail Rapid Transit System line is better for inter-city connectivity.

With Namma Metro's average operating speed being 34 kmph, the 60-km distance will take nearly two hours, which is the same as what a bus or train takes.

Surya has been vocal about his opposition to the 18-km-long tunnel road proposed in Bengaluru and has launched campaigns against it, saying that the project is "wasteful, unscientific and ineffective". He has said that instead of building a tunnel road only for four-wheelers, the government should utilise funds to strengthen mass public transport systems such as the metro and suburban railway networks.

Raising the issue again on Monday, he said, the "Congress Govt is repeatedly getting the fundamentals wrong — from tunnel roads to inter-city metro proposals, these arbitrary and ill-considered decisions are denying citizens basic civic amenities. Hope Congress soon snaps out of such illogical ideas."