TN awaits nod from Centre on feasibility study for Bengaluru-Hosur metro connectivity

Connecting Hosur and Bengaluru via Metro, the new-age transport system has been a long-standing demand of people from both sides

Taking yet another step forward in realising metro connectivity between Hosur and Bengaluru, the Chennai Metro Rail Corporation (CMRL) has written to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs seeking its nod for conducting a feasibility study for the construction of the rail link from Bommasandra to the burgeoning industrial town.

Once the MoHUA approves the proposal, the CMRL will float a tender seeking a consultant to conduct the study for the construction of the Metro rail link for the 20.5 km stretch from Hosur in Tamil Nadu to Bommasandra in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Read | On Bengaluru's doorstep: Hosur's meteoric rise

Connecting Hosur and Bengaluru via Metro, the new-age transport system that has caught the attention of lakhs of people has been a long-standing demand of the people from both sides. The Karnataka Government had, in 2022 written to MoHUA, giving its concurrence for the project which will help thousands of people to travel between Hosur and Bengaluru without much hassle.

Following this, the Tamil Nadu government asked CMRL to carry out the feasibility study by sanctioning Rs 75 lakh for the purpose. The plan is to build a new line from the existing Bommasandra metro station to Hosur.

“We have written to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs seeking their nod to conduct the feasibility study for the Bommasandra-Hosur metro rail link. We are awaiting the nod from the ministry. We will begin our work once we receive the green signal,” CMRL Managing Director, M A Siddique, told DH.

Of the 20.5 km, 11.7 kilometres falls in Karnataka, while the remaining 8.8 km is in Tamil Nadu, which will fund the feasibility study. Tamil Nadu government believes metro connectivity between Hosur and Bengaluru will further fuel the growth of the industrial town, which is home to over 2,000 MSMEs.

Hosur, which is home to several big conglomerates like TVS, Ashok Leyland, and Titan, is also being projected as a major hub for electric vehicles (EVs) in the state. Home-grown EV companies like Ather, Ola Electric, Simple Energy, and TVS Motors have already set up manufacturing units in the Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri region.

Another official in the know told DH that a call on the funding pattern of the 20.5 km metro link will be taken after the feasibility study is conducted. Metro rail projects are funded by State and Union Governments.

The feasibility study comes at a time the Tamil Nadu government is mulling launching air connectivity from Hosur. Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has appointed a consultant to study in detail the feasibility of setting up an airport in Hosur and on the passenger and freight traffic.

The study will identify at least three potential sites for setting up the airport, analyse air traffic growth trends in the past decade in nearby airports, forecast future traffic for the next 30 years, and assess the catchment area of the proposed airport and the availability of landside road and rail connectivity.

Though there is a view that an airport cannot sustain for long in a city like Hosur given the Bengaluru International Airport is just 80 km away, the industry there gives a thumbs-up to the project. Their argument is that one should not just look at the passenger traffic but also the freight traffic that Hosur can provide to the airport.

The state government believes an airport in Hosur will lead to faster growth of the industry in Hosur and more job creation for Tamil Nadu.