Is Bangalore Metro Phase 2 Ready For Commuters?

Infrastructure development in Bangalore has been going on for the last few years, and Namma Metro is beyond doubt, directing the development of the city.

Bengaluru is a major IT hub and its public transport is instrumental in facilitating economic activities and providing the means of traffic across the city to the public. The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL), which is in charge of the city’s metro rail project, is building lines across the city in a phased manner. While some lines have progressed in time, others have also been delayed.

While Bangalore Metro Phase 1 is already operational, BMRCL has awarded the contract for the construction of all lines in Phase 2, as indicated below. Phase 2 includes the expansion of Phase 1 (green and purple) lines with the creation of two new lines – Yellow and Pink.

The Phase 2 project received the approval of the Government of Karnataka in 2011 and the Central Government in 2014. Construction work on the first new section of 73.95 km Phase 2 (Mysore Road – Pattanagere, Reach-2A of Purple Line) commenced in September 2015. Funding problems, which led to most civil construction contracts being awarded in the first half of 2017. Since the expansion of the Purple Line from Purpleghat and Green Line to Anjanpura Township will be ready by 2020, the entire phase, which includes a 13.92 km underground section, is expected to be ready, in sections, only by 2024. Once 2 is on, the total length of the network will be 116.256 km.

This phase includes the construction of 2 new lines on standard gauge tracks and the extension of both lines constructed in Phase 1 in all 4 directions:

2 New Lines

Line 3 – Yellow Line – R V Road – Bommasandra Line (19 km)

• Length: 19.143 km
• Type: Elevated
• Depot: Hebbagodi (39.3 acres)
• Number of Stations: (16) RV Road, Ragigudda, BTM Layout, Oxford College, Jayadeva Hospital, HSR layout, Central Silk Board (interchange), Chikkabegur, Basapura Road,  Muneshwara Nagar, Electronic city-l, Electronic city-ll, Hosa Road, Husker Road,  Bommasandra, and  Hebbagodi.

Line 4 – Pink Line – Nagawara – Gottigere Line (21 km)

• Length: 21.386 km
• Type: Elevated (7.501 km) and Underground (13.885 km)
• Depot: Kothanur (31.5 acres)
• Number of Stations: (18) Gottigere, IIMB, JP Nagar 4th Phase, Dairy circle(underground), Jayadeva Hospital(Interchange), Hulimavu, MICO Industries(underground), Langford Town(underground), Swagath Road Cross, MG Road(interchange), Shivajinagar(underground), Cantonment (underground), Arabic College(underground), Vellara Junction(underground), Tannery Road (underground), Venkateshpura(underground), Pottery Town(underground), Nagavara(underground).

Phase-1 Extensions

Line 1 – Purple Line – Mysore Road – Kengeri (8.814 km)

• Length: 8.814 km
• Type: Elevated
• New Depot: Challagatta (38.9 acres; for entire line)
• Number of Stations: (7) Nayandahalli Station, Rajarajeshwari Nagar Station, Jnanabharathi Station, Pattanagere Station, Mailasandra Station, and Kengeri station.

Line 1 – Purple Line – Baiyyappanahalli – Whitefield (15.257 km)

• Length: 15.257 km
• Type: Elevated
• New Depot: Whitefield (44.8 acres; for entire line)
• Number of Stations: (13) Jyothipuram, K.R. Puram, Mahadevapura, Garudacharpalya, Doddanakundi Industrial Area, Visvesvaraya Industrial Area, Kundanahalli, Vydehi Hospital, Sri Satya Sai Hospital, ITPL, Kadugodi, Ujwala Vidyalaya, and Whitefield.

Line 2 – Green Line – Yelachenahalli (Puttenahalli) – Anjanapura (6.29 km)

• Length: 6.29 km
• Type: Elevated
• New Depot: Anjanapura (8.9 acres; for entire line)
• Number of Stations: (5) Anjanapura Road Cross Station, Krishna Leela Park Station, Vajarahalli station, Thalaghattapura station, and Anjanapura Township station.

Line 2 – Green Line – Hesaraghatta Cross (erst. Nagasandra) – BIEC (3.031 km)

• Length: 3.031 km
• Type: Elevated
• Number of Stations: (3) Manjunathanagar, Jindal, and BIEC

Of the 73.95 km of new track, 13.92 km would be underground while the rest would be 60.03 km high.

The map below will help you identify the entire route.

The line in red is phase 1 while the line in blue is phase 2. In addition, the government has temporarily named 2 more lines as Phase 2A and Phase 2B.

Extension of 2 More Lines in Phase-1

Phase 2A

Silkboard to K R Puram via HSR Layout, Agara, Sarjapur road junction, Ecospace, Kadbeesanahalli, Marathahalli, Doddanekundi.

Phase 2B

Nagavara to KIAL(Kempegowda International Airport) via Jakkur, Yelahanka, Trumpet flyover.

Namma Metro Phase 2 Status

From Mysore Road to Kengeri Line

IL&FS is the contractor and construction work is in full swing, BMRCL has fined the contractor with 1 core as construction has been delayed for over a year. You can expect this line to open by October 2020.

Puttanahalli Cross Station to Anjanpura Township

Nagarjuna Construction has started construction work and is expected to be completed by August 2020.

Baiyappanahalli to White-field

ITD CEM JV India has started construction, some issues in the land acquisition are from Bayappanahalli to KR Puram station. Apart from this, progress is happening very fast. You can expect this line to remain open until 2022-23 (as land acquisition is a major issue and progress is delayed).

Electronic City to Silk Board

ITD CEM JV India has taken up, BMRCL needs more land, which is yet to be acquired, but the contractor is making very good progress, so you can expect the line to be open to the public by November 2021.

Silk Board to RV Road

HCC-URC has commenced work, road widening and viaduct works are still in progress. We can expect this line to be open until 2021.

Hesaraghatta Cross to Bangalore International Exhibition Center

Soma Enterprises has started construction and the work is in good progress. We can see viaduct and station construction in progress. We can expect this line to be open until January 2022.

Gottigere to Nagawara

This line is a combination of underground and elevated parts. AFCONS Infrastructure, L&T, and ITD Cem JV have received tenders for this route. The demolition of the Jaydev flyover is also going on.

K R Puram to Silk Board

BMRCL canceled tenders last year due to ILR and Fs issue. BMRCL is contacting Asian Development Banks for the loan. There are several companies (Infosys, Intel Corp, and Embassy Group) that have shown interest in financing this route. The state government released shares of its funds and awaited central funds. BMRCL has called for the tender. Now, approval from the central government is awaited.

KIA Airport Line

The line has been updated as PHASE 2B and the development states that the AIRPORT line will go from the KR Puram-Silk Board line to Hebbal. BMRCL is conducting a feasibility study and is seeking a $ 500 million loan for Asian Development Banks. Tenders have already been called for with eight packages to complete the work quickly. Awaiting central government approval before construction begins.

Note: Please add one more year to all of the above-mentioned deadlines as activists return to their homes in the COVID-19 epidemic, which has pushed the deadline to more than a year.

Namma Metro Ph-2 Updates

On 7 December 2020, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited, after resolving land acquisition issues with Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Ltd, accelerated the Namma Metro’s 72 km Phase 2 project.

On 14 January 2021, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri flagged off the first line of Bangalore Metro Phase-2.

Impact of the Metro on Real Estate of Bangalore

Bangalore Metro has proved to be one of the most useful assets of the city. The real estate sector has had a progressive impact on Bangalore’s micro-markets, through which the metro track passes. Significant changes in their property prices are being seen in CMH Road, Baippanahalli, and other areas connected to the metro. The metro project is set to change the landscape of Bangalore with major changes in North, East, and South Bangalore. Metro Phase II is expected to boost suburban areas in Bangalore.

It is believed that the actual impact of the metro will be visible only when the second phase is fully operational. Till now, it is only a scheme of how and where to invest by buyers and sellers. Based on various studies, one can expect 20% –30% appreciation on completion of Phase II.

Image & Data Source: Financial Express & Google