On Wednesday, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai asked Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited officials to complete Bengaluru Metro’s second phase work by the year 2024, a year before the scheduled deadline. Speaking at an event to mark the tunneling “breakthrough” for Namma Metro Line from Cantonment to Shivaji Nagar by Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Urja’, Bommai asked the officials to re-plan and reschedule it so that the work can be completed at the earliest. Work on metro rail causes much trouble to the public, he further said. The Chief Minister was quoted in a PTI report saying the project’s early completion will help people reach their destination faster as well as reduce traffic congestion.
During the event, Bommai also said that he himself will supervise the second phase work’s progress. At any cost, the second phase metro work should be finished by 2024, the CM asserted. According to him, the main idea is to give metro rail connectivity up to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. The Centre has also shown its interest to finish the metro work by providing financial assistance, he said.
The officials of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited said the 21.26 kilometres new line (Line 6 of Bengaluru Metro) from Gottigere to Nagawara is part of the project’s Phase 2. This metro line consists of 7.5 kilometres of elevated stretch with six elevated metro stations and 13.76 kilometres underground stretch from south ramp located near Jayanagar Fire metro station to north ramp at Nagawara with as many as 12 underground metro stations. The tunneling work from Cantonment to Shivaji Nagar metro station was started on 30 July 2020. The total length of tunneling to be done is 21.246 kilometres and a total of nine Tunnel Boring Machines have been deployed, the officials further said. So far, 3.842 kilometres of tunneling work has been completed, they added. The total cost of the second phase of Bengaluru Metro is Rs 30,695 crore, the report said.