Work on much-awaited metro line to Bengaluru airport to begin in three months: BMRCL

The work on the much-awaited Namma Metro line to the Bengaluru international airport will begin in three months, according to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) and the contract has been given to the Hyderabad-based NCC Ltd.

Speaking to Indian Express, BMRCL managing director Anjum Parwez confirmed the development and said that the BMRCL has fixed the deadline to December 2024. The project, which was approved by the Union cabinet on April 20, involves the construction of a 38.44-km elevated line from KR Puram to Kempegowda International Airport, which is the Blue Line of Namma Metro.

The Phase 2B line of the Blue Line contract was awarded at Rs 2,200 crore. “BMRCL has handed over the letter of agreement to NCC Ltd recently and the project is divided into three packages,” Anjum Parwez said.

The Union cabinet had approved this line along with the Outer Ring Road Line at a cost of Rs 14,788 crore. In August, the BMRCL signed a loan agreement for Rs 3,643 crore with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the completion of two key routes along Outer Ring Road and Airport Metro Corridor.

The agreement was signed between Anjum Parvez, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs director Janardan Prasad and ADB country director Takeo Konishi. The financial arrangements have been made for Phase 2A and Phase 2B of the metro project, said BMRCL officials.

The project entails Phase 2A from Central Silk Board Junction to K R Puram and Phase 2B from K R Puram to airport via Hebbal Junction of total length 58 km. The project is expected to decongest traffic and also enable affordable and faster connectivity to the Bengaluru airport.