Bengaluru, Oct 22 Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Thursday directed officials to expedite construction of the KR Puram-Hebbal Blue Line Metro corridor, which is already delayed by at least a year beyond its scheduled timeline, and ensure there are no further delays.
The Blue Line corridors connecting KR Puram to Hebbal and Hebbal to Kempegowda International Airport, being developed under Phases 2A and 2B, are crucial to improving Bengaluru’s transport infrastructure, he said after inspecting construction sites and reviewing the project’s progress with officials, according to a release.
The KR Puram-Airport stretch is 38.44 km long, while the KR Puram-Central Silk Board corridor measures 19.75 km. Together, the corridors form a network of approximately 60 km.
Once completed, the route connecting Central Silk Board, KR Puram, Hebbal and the airport, spanning approximately 58-59 km, is expected to provide substantial relief from traffic congestion in the city, he said.
Construction along the KR Puram-Nagawara-Hebbal stretch has faced several challenges, resulting in delays. Work on the Phase 2A section near KR Puram was held up for a year due to a court stay on tree felling, pushing the project at least a year beyond its scheduled completion, he added.
Gowda said Metro construction in Bengaluru involves a stringent process for tree removal, including public interest litigation, Tree Committee procedures and High Court approvals.
Cauvery water supply pipelines and underground drainage lines have also obstructed construction at several locations. Relocation of these utilities and the laying of new lines have caused delays of around six to eight months, he said.
Heavy traffic on the Outer Ring Road has further constrained construction, forcing workers to carry out most of the work between 7 pm and the early hours of the morning.
While some challenges are inevitable in complex infrastructure projects, contractors have not responded with the required speed, the Minister said, adding that the government was pressing them to accelerate the work.
“The project is already delayed by a year. I have firmly instructed officials that there must be no further delay and that trial runs must begin by the end of October,” he said.
Trial runs on the KR Puram-Central Silk Board stretch are scheduled to begin by the end of October. From the first week of November, trains are to be operated progressively along individual station sections, with the objective of extending operations towards Marathahalli.
Commercial operations between KR Puram and Central Silk Board are targeted for around the middle of next year, within approximately eight to 10 months, Gowda said.
On the KR Puram-Hebbal-Airport corridor, the objective is to commence train operations on the Hebbal-Airport stretch by October-November next year.
Meanwhile, all trial runs on the approximately 7.5-km elevated section of the Pink Line between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere have been completed successfully. Various safety and electrical tests have been conducted over the past seven to eight months.
Official approval to commence operations is expected within the next four to five days, Gowda said.
The state government has written to the Union government and the concerned ministers, requesting that an inauguration date be finalised at the earliest.
Despite a letter from the chief minister, the state has received neither a formal nor an informal response from the Centre regarding the opening date.
Gowda said he would seek a meeting with the Union Minister concerned to press for an early decision.
Alongside Metro expansion, work is progressing on a 148-km Suburban Rail network around Bengaluru under the Infrastructure Development Department.
The project is targeted for completion by April 2030, with an estimated investment of Rs 23,000 crore, the Minister said.
The government is also expanding the fleet of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses, he said. In addition to its existing fleet of approximately 7,000 buses, approval has been granted to procure another 4,500 electric buses in the coming years.
“If these measures become fully operational over the next one to two years, they can address up to 50 per cent of the city’s traffic problem,” Gowda said.
Acknowledging public frustration over delays in Metro construction, the Minister said he had been personally inspecting project sites along with officials to accelerate progress.
“The Chief Minister has also issued strict instructions that the work must be completed as early as possible, without any further delays,” he added.
(PTI News)
