7 months ago
3
The Karnataka government’s ambitious connection to widen the Namma Metro web from Madavara successful Bengaluru to Tumakuru has attracted crisp disapproval from civic activists and people, who picture the program arsenic impractical and financially unviable.
They reason that portion metro systems are champion suited for high-density municipality areas similar Bengaluru city, inter-district question demands alternatives specified arsenic suburban obstruction oregon a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), which they judge would beryllium much efficient, affordable, and sustainable.
On September 29, Home Minister G. Parameshwara announced that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) had been entrusted with the project. Tenders worthy ₹3 crore were floated for a feasibility study, which was awarded to Hyderabad-based Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers & Consultants Pvt. Ltd. The institution has since submitted its report, which the State authorities has accepted. BMRCL has present been instructed to hole a Detailed Project Report (DPR) nether the public-private concern (PPP) model.
Line to outgo estimated ₹20,649 crore
According to Dr. Parameshwara, who is besides Koratagere MLA, the projected enactment would outgo an estimated ₹20,649 crore successful its archetypal phase. However, this fig has raised eyebrows among citizens and mobility advocates, who question whether specified monolithic investments connected a long-distance metro enactment are justified erstwhile the metropolis itself inactive suffers from glaring connectivity gaps.
“Why walk ₹20,000 crore to propulsion metro extracurricular Bengaluru erstwhile areas similar Outer Ring Road, Varthur, and Old Airport Road inactive don’t person a metro? A 70-km metro travel would instrumentality astatine slightest 2 hours, whereas a suburban bid oregon RRTS tin screen the aforesaid region successful 30–40 minutes astatine conscionable a fraction of the cost. This looks similar a existent estate-driven determination alternatively than a mobility solution,” said Sandesh Kumar, a commuter from R.R. Nagar.
Similar concerns were echoed by Ravi Shankar, a nonmigratory of Soladevanahalli who regularly travels to Tumakuru. “If the authorities truly wants to easiness question to Tumakuru, it should put successful expanding the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project oregon fortify autobus connectivity
Suburban obstruction much applicable solution
Rajkumar Dugar, laminitis of Citizens for Citizens (C4C), said: “Every fewer months, we perceive proposals widen metro to Hosur, past to Bidadi, present to Tumakuru. Metro is meant for shorter municipality distances, not 70–80 km intercity corridors. Extending it to Tumakuru volition outgo more, instrumentality years to build, disrupt traffic, and inactive instrumentality astir 2 hours for a one-way travel astatine fares of astir ₹200. A acold much applicable solution is strengthening suburban rail, which already connects Bengaluru and Tumakuru successful conscionable implicit an hr astatine a fraction of the cost. What we request is governmental will, not misplaced prestige projects.”
According to BMRCL officials, the projected enactment would tally 59.6 km with 26 stations, making it the archetypal intercity metro corridor successful the Namma Metro network, if approved. The alignment would broadly travel Tumakuru Road, 1 of the busiest radial highways starring retired of Bengaluru.
Reduce dependence connected roadworthy travel
Tumakuru is located astir 70 km northwest of the State capital, and thousands of radical question regular betwixt the 2 cities, mostly babelike connected buses and trains. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had included the metro hold connection successful the 2024-25 State Budget, mounting the signifier for the study.
Meanwhile, supporters of the task reason that Tumakuru’s accelerated urbanisation justifies the metro hold and that an intercity metro could trim dependence connected roadworthy travel. This is simply a long-pending request of the radical of Tumakuru, says Priya N., a bundle technologist from Tumakuru who travels to Bengaluru daily. “If the metro enactment really comes up, it volition beryllium a large alleviation for radical similar maine who walk 3 to 4 hours commuting by autobus each day. Buses get stuck successful traffic. A dedicated metro line, adjacent if it takes longer, volition springiness america much reliable and predictable travel.”
