Tender floated to conduct feasibility study to extend metro from Bengaluru to Tumakuru

Bengaluru, India (Metro Rail Today): In a significant development, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has kickstarted the process to extend the metro connectivity from Bengaluru to Tumakuru. The BMRCL has issued open bids to conduct a feasibility study for the extension, covering the distance of 52.41 km from Madavara in northern Bengaluru to Tumakuru, under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The tender document will be available for download starting March 1, with the submission deadline set for April 2. The bid opening is scheduled for the same day.

The expansion plans to connect Tumakuru and Devanahalli were announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the state budget for 2024-25. BMRCL is expected to invite bids soon for a similar feasibility study to extend the metro from Kempegowda International Airport to Devanahalli.

Earlier, bids were invited for a feasibility study to add 118 km to the metro network, without specifying the PPP model. The original plan involved extending the Green Line from Madavara to Kunigal Cross, covering a distance of 11 km. However, Home Minister G Parameshwara advocated for extending the metro to Tumakuru, emphasizing the potential to alleviate Bengaluru's burden. He suggested the metro line could follow National Highway 48, and private investors expressed interest in the project.

The feasibility reports are expected to be completed in three to four months, after which the government will decide the subsequent actions. The study will encompass estimated construction costs, traffic surveys, metro line alignments, property acquisition requirements, potential land acquisition challenges, and more. The government will make decisions based on the feasibility study, and if approved, BMRCL will proceed with a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Despite the absence of specific timelines, the gestation period for a metro line is typically around five years.

Considering the distance, the government might opt for a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), similar to the one between Delhi and Meerut. This involves building metro stations at longer intervals (5-10 km) to reduce travel time. If approved, this extension would deviate from the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), which originally proposed a 317-km metro network for Bengaluru by 2031. The CMP outlined plans for a 34-km underground inner ring metro line within Bengaluru, along with new lines from Whitefield to Domlur (16 km) and Katamanallur Gate-Sarjapur Road–Hebbal (52 km). While details about the inner ring and Whitefield-Domlur lines remain undisclosed, the BMRCL has included the Sarjapur-Hebbal line (37 km) in Phase 3A.