Namma Metro: Phase 3 deadline pushed to May 2031, cost up 5%

Bengaluru: The delay in inviting civil work tenders for Namma Metro's Phase 3 has pushed the deadline by six months and raised costs by 5 per cent, officials in the know said. 

Phase 3 will span two corridors over 44.65 km, expanding Bengaluru's metro network to 222.2 km. It received the union cabinet approval on August 16, 2024. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid its foundation stone on August 10 this year. 

However, the state government's plan to build a double-deck (metro-cum-road) flyover along Phase 3 has delayed the groundwork. 

The project is now expected to be by ready only by May 2031 — against the earlier target of 2030, at a revised cost 5 per cent higher than than the original Rs 15,611 crore. 

The deadline may slip further during construction. 

On the positive side, officials are hopeful that learnings and expertise acquired from previous projects will help avoid past mistakes and expedite construction. 

While geotechnical investigations are done and utility shifting has begun, tree enumeration and cutting are still pending. Land acquisition, utility shifting and tree-cutting typically take at least a year. 

Although the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has estimated the requirement of 6,72,117 sqm, it has yet to take custody of the land. 

The double-decker plan may cause more delays. The BMRCL has requested the state to bear the full cost of Rs 9,612 crore, which is still awaiting cabinet approval. 

Delays around Phase 3 date back three years. The state cleared it in November 2022, but the Centre took nearly two years to give its nod. 

When Ajay Seth helmed the BMRCL, he earned praise for initiating pre-construction works soon after a metro project was cleared by the state. This helped in starting the work from Silk Board Junction to KR Puram, and then up to Kempegowda International Airport, when the Centre's approval came. 

Since Seth’s transfer in April 2021, the BMRCL has seen four MDs, including M Maheshwar Rao, who held the post for just 18 months, unlike his predecessors such as N Sivasailam and Pradeep Singh Kharola, who had longer tenures and oversaw significant progress. 

A senior BMRCL official said the delay was inevitable due to the double-decker plan, but assured that substantial progress had been achieved in other aspects. 

"Because of the double-decker, a single contractor will handle both the metro line and the flyover. This required a study by a Detailed Design Consultant (DDC), which is now complete," the official told DH. 

He added that civil tenders covering both stations and viaduct would be floated by mid-September. 

Tenders will be split into eight packages: four packages related to station/viaduct and the depot will be funded by government equity, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will fund the rest through a Rs 6,770-crore loan. 

Bidders will be given 45-60 days, and tenders for the four first packages should be finalised by mid-November. "Groundwork should start in December or January at the most," he added. 

The official said Phase 3 construction would take five-and-a-half years. 

"We now have experienced people who can take quick decisions and avoid past mistakes," the official said. 

JICA's final approval is expected by November, with an agreement to be signed by March 31, 2026. The funds will also cover trainsets, he added. 

Project details

Corridor 1: JP Nagar 5th Phase to Kempapura: 32.15 km; 22 stations

Corridor 2: Hosahalli to Kadabagere: 12.5 km; 9 stations

Approved cost: 15,611 cr

Escalation: 5 per cent

Deadline: May 2031