Bengaluru: Civil Work On 56 Km ORR-Airport Metro Set To Commence By Dec 2020, BMRCL-BIAL Sign MoU For 2 Airport Metro Stations

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) to establish the 4.95 km airport section of the 37 km Airport Line will connect Kempegowda International Airport to KR Puram Station through 17 stations as part of the Bangalore Metro Phase 2B project.

Airport section is a part of the overall 56 km metro line named “ORR-Airport Metro” from Central Silk Board Junction to Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru Terminals via KR Puram and Hebbal.

The ORR-Airport Metro is being established by BMRCL at a total estimated cost of Rs 14,844 Crores and is likely to serve 7.8 lakh commuters daily.

The MoU was signed in the presence of B S Yediyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka, and envisages an unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) with an innovative financing mode to establish the 4.95 km airport section of the ORR-Airport Metro at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crores.

While BMRCL will construct the Airport Metro section, along with civil, electro-mechanical, other associated facilities, works and related assets, BIAL will develop, manage and maintain the two metro stations that will be located within the Airport boundary.

The two stations within the Airport boundaries are likely to see the daily ridership of 0.6 lakh commuters in 2024, increasing to 1.88 lakh commuters by 2041.

The civil work on the Airport metro section is likely to commence in March 2021.

The tenders for the civil works of the 56 km metro viaduct and 30 stations have already been called in five packages.

The work on the first two packages from Central Silk Board Junction to KR Puram are likely to commence in December 2020, and that on the three packages from KR Puram to the Airport are likely to commence in March 2021.

Bids for construction of the 37 km Airport ORR-Airport Metro line were invited in July this year and the last date for submission was subsequently moved to October 16 due to the pandemic related disruptions.

Almost two-thirds of the 94 acres of the land required for the ORR-Airport Metro has been acquired and handed over to BMRCL. The balance land is mostly for the metro depot near the Trumpet Junction. The shifting of the utilities, namely electricity, water, streetlights, gas and telecom is underway by the concerned agencies.

The ORR-Airport Metro is being established as per the Metro Policy 2017 with equal equity financing model by the Government of India and the State Government. The approval of the Government of India is expected by December 2020.

The Government of India has already posed the project for financing of project by way of long-term loans of about Rs 5,800 Crores with moderate interest rate by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The formal approvals for the loans are expected by March 2021.