Almost a decade gone, Metro Phase II of Bengaluru is still not on track
Bengaluru: Below par, underwhelming: That's the scorecard for Namma Metro' s Phase II pace of construction. Nearly 10 years after BMRCL began construction on Phase II, a substantial portion of the planned expansion remains incomplete.
Of the 75km of new lines planned, more than 40km is still not operational. Prolonged delays, coupled with other factors, led to a major cost overrun. The project's estimated cost ballooned from Rs 26,405 crore to Rs 40,614 crore — an increase of over Rs 14,000 crore.
In the same period, the traffic situation on the road got worse: In the absence of a robust public transport system, Bengaluru, which had 7.7 million vehicles in 2016, now has 12 million, adding to congestion.
And a likely silver bullet – which promises timely commuting, with less uncertainty – is missing.
The Phase II project, which received sanction in Feb 2014, involved extending the operational Purple and Green Lines in four directions for a total length of 35km, along with two new lines: Yellow Line from RV Road to Bommasandra (19km) and Pink Line from Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara (21km). BMRCL opened these extensions in phases.
The first stretch — Yelachenahalli to Silk Institute (6.29km) — was inaugurated in Jan 2021. The Mysuru Road-Kengeri section opened in Aug 2021, followed by the KR Pura-Whitefield stretch (13km) in March 2023. In Oct 2023, two sections — Baiyappanahalli-KR Pura (2.2km) and Kengeri-Challaghatta on Purple Line — were opened. The Green Line extension on Tumakuru Road from Nagasandra to Madavara (3km) opened in Nov 2024.
Regarding the new lines, although the Yellow Line is ready, a shortage of coaches delayed its operation. After missing several deadlines, BMRCL officials plan to open the line initially with just three trains. Pink Line, which includes a 13km tunnel network, has already been postponed to 2026.
Multiple factors contributed to delays in the project, including late land acquisition, delays in floating tenders, design changes, financial difficulties causing construction companies to halt work midway and the pandemic, resulting in poor project implementation.
For instance, the construction of a double-decker section on Yellow Line was never part of the original plan; the plan to build a double-decker from Ragigudda to Silk Board was added at a much later stage.
On the Pink Line, the elevated section from Kalena Agrahara to Swagath Cross Road (7km) saw a contractor abandon the project midway due to financial issues. After a long gap, BMRCL appointed a new contractor to continue the work.
It has been eight years, and the project is still under construction.
The delay in project execution, rising land acquisition costs, extension of the network by 3km, and construction of new depots all contributed to the steep rise in the project cost. Thursday, the state cabinet approved an increase of Rs 9,729 crore for the Phase II project.
It is reported that the state govt urged Union minister for housing and urban affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, during his visit to Bengaluru, to approve the revised project cost and sanction Phase III of Namma Metro, extending from Sarjapur to Hebbal.
GFX
PHASE II
* SANCTIONED IN 2014
* LAUNCHED IN 2016
* WAS TO BE READY BY 2020
* LIKELY TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY 2026
* 116km: Full operational length of phase II
*77km: Operational line as of today
* 8L: Ridership per day as of now
++++
Glitch disrupts services for 5 hours
Namma Metro services on Purple Line were disrupted for nearly five hours Friday morning due to a technical snag at the Whitefield (Kadugodi) station. BMRCL officials said operations between Hope Farm Channasandra and Whitefield stations were suspended from 5am to 9.55am.
However, there were no disruptions on the rest of the Purple Line between Challaghatta and Hope Farm Channasandra. The Green Line remained fully operational with no impact on its schedule.
——-
Early operations for UPSC exams
To assist aspirants appearing for the preliminary exams of the Union Public Service Commission scheduled for Sunday, BMRCL announced that Metro services will start an hour earlier that day. According to a release, train services will begin from terminal stations (Whitefield, Challaghatta, Madavara, and Silk Institute) at 6am, instead of the usual 7am on Sundays.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Brother's Day wishes
,
messages
and quotes !
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
22 minutes ago
- United News of India
J&K, first among all States /UTs, to get sanction under PMGSY-IV
Srinagar, June 10 (UNI) J&K has become first among all States and UTs, to get sanction under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV (PMGSY-IV). The biggest ever package sanctioned for J&K under PMGSY will provide connectivity to 390 eligible habitations with a population of more than 250 souls, an official spokesman said. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan for sanctioning 316 road projects in J&K UT, at an estimated cost of Rs.4224 Cr under Batch-I of PMGSY-IV. The Lieutenant Governor observed that the approved 1781 KMs road length will provide a major boost to rural road connectivity and usher in a new era of prosperity in far-flung areas. 'Grateful to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji & Hon'ble Union Minister of Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Ji for sanctioning 316 road projects at an estimated cost of Rs.4224 Cr under Batch-I of PMGSY-IV for providing connectivity to 390 no. of eligible habitations,' Lieutenant Governor posted on X. UNI MJR GNK
Hans India
24 minutes ago
- Hans India
PM Modi helm ushers unprecedented growth, says Punjab BJP chief
Chandigarh: The 11-year governance of the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ushered in a period of unprecedented growth in the country. India has become the fourth-largest economy in the world, Punjab unit party President Sunil Jakhar said on Tuesday. Lauding the phenomenal growth rate of the country, he told the media here that 'our nation has crossed even Japan in term of growth'. 'This is no coincidence but absolute commitment to work on policies, principles and prioritise to ensure that decisions which usher in change for the country were taken in the past 11 years.' While recalling various achievements of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) rule, Jakhar said it was a great achievement that 81 crore people were being given free rations, 55 crore had been given health insurance advantages, four crore houses for the disadvantaged were built, 50 crore households were provided drinking water facilities and crores of toilet's have been built across the nation. Jakhar reasoned that India's 6.5 GDP has led to industrial growth which has translated into employment for the people. 'The infrastructure of the nation, be it the extensive construction of highways or bridges, has changed the entire landscape of the country, ushering in progress and prosperity. A voluminous 55,000 km of highways and expressways is a phenomenal achievement.' Hailing the vision of Prime Minister Modi, the Punjab BJP chief said in 2014 there were only eight AIIMS in the country. 'Today we have 24, three times more in 11 years. In Punjab, we have an AIIMS Bathinda, which is a huge medical facility and soon more hospitals of this level will be established in other towns in the state.' Jakhar emphasised that women rights and equality were a keen concern of the BJP and the women reservation Bill to be passed. 'The social fabric of the country has become more progressive with equality and distribution of wealth and opportunity for all is a reality. The ease-of-living and ease-of-doing business has improved the lives of millions. The substantial increase in MSP (minimum support price) has led to increased income in Punjab as we are primarily an agricultural economy. The food grain purchase in the state this year was Rs 68,771 crore till date, while in 2014 it was Rs 32,211 crore,' he explained. Answering a media query about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that 11 years have not seen any progress, Jakhar said: 'The 6.5 growth rate, the fourth-largest economy in the world, the development in the infrastructure, women empowerment, passing of significant Bills are all to see but unfortunately, if someone wants to have a myopic view then it is lamentable.'
Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Maharashtra govt hikes excise duty on liquor, introduces local category MML
In a move set to significantly impact liquor prices across Maharashtra, the state cabinet on Tuesday approved a hike in excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), country liquor, and imported alcohol. The government also cleared the introduction of a new category Maharashtra Made Liquor (MML) in a bid to expand the state's revenue base. The decision is expected to raise the state's annual excise collection by approximately Rs 14,000 crore. Prices of IMFL and premium foreign liquor brands are likely to increase by at least 50 per cent, officials said. The excise duty on IMFL has been increased from three times the manufacturing cost to 4.5 times, specifically affecting products with a manufacturing cost of Rs 260 per bulk litre. The duty on country liquor has also gone up from Rs 180 to Rs 205 per proof litre. A 180 ml bottle of country liquor will now cost a minimum Rs 80, up from Rs 60–Rs 70, while IMFL prices will rise to Rs 205, up from Rs 115–Rs 130. Premium foreign liquor may now cost Rs 360, up from Rs 210. This is the first revision of excise duty in Maharashtra since 2011. The state also approved a policy allowing liquor vending (FL-2) and on-premise sale (FL-3) licence holders to operate on lease with an additional 15% and 10% of the annual licence fee, respectively. The newly announced Maharashtra Made Liquor (MML) category aims to fill the pricing gap between country liquor and IMFL. It will be made from grain-based alcohol, and only products manufactured and registered within the state will qualify. National or foreign brands will not be eligible for inclusion. MML will have a country liquor tax structure but will only be sold through FL-2 and FL-3 licensees. The government estimates the current size of this segment at 5–6 crore litres, which could potentially grow to 10–11 crore litres, generating up to Rs 3,000 crore in additional revenue. Officials also claimed the move would benefit local farmers by raising demand for grain. 'Maharashtra has 70 licensed alcohol manufacturers, but 38 are currently inactive as they can't compete with established foreign brands,' a senior excise department official said. 'MML is intended to revive these units and promote local industry.' Experts from the alcoholic beverage industry have expressed concern over the steep tax. 'Maharashtra was the most highly taxed state in the country in terms of this industry. The new decision is likely to make the situation worse. High prices in a particular state leads to the smuggling of alcohol from less taxed states or from neighbouring states. At the look of it, I think this decision is far from ground reality and not a good decision,' said Pramod Krishna, former Director General, Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies.
