Bengaluru: Karnataka Wednesday argued that the Union govt may facilitate negotiations and approvals, but the state has to account for every paisa spent on the project.The state’s financial responsibility extended beyond its share of the initial project outlay, with land acquisition, implementation-related cost escalations and additional repayment liabilities arising from rupee depreciation against the dollar also falling on the state.Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the state’s share had increased across successive phases, from 79.2% in Phase I to 83.7% in Phase II and 86.9% in Phases IIA and IIB. He said the Centre’s contribution had declined even as Bengaluru’s infrastructure requirements grew. It now stands at 86:14, he added.He flagged Metro’s accumulated operational losses of Rs 1,046 crore. Reimbursements of Rs 52 crore pending from the state govt would be released, he said.On foreign loans routed through the Centre, Gowda said Karnataka had repaid Rs 28,958 crore, accounting for 100% of the loan amounts. BMRCL had repaid Rs 5,018 crore in loan principal so far, of which Rs 4,502 crore came from the state govt.Red line pending for 22 monthsBengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the 37.8km Sarjapur-Hebbal Red line proposal, submitted to the Centre in Jan 2025, remains pending for 22 months.The state would seek PM Modi’s intervention to expedite clearance during his visit Friday. It aims to float tenders and begin work by the end of 2027.He warned that delayed approvals were pushing up project costs. Phase I faced a 14-month approval delay, Phase II two years, Phases IIA and IIB two years and five months, and Phase III six months.The cost escalation in Phases II, IIA and IIB stood at Rs 4,955 crore, which Karnataka is bearing entirely, according to data provided by Gowda.Rising cost of construction is also reflected in per-km estimates, which have increased from Rs 193 crore in Phase I to Rs 352 crore in Phase II and Rs 695 crore in Phase IIIA.On the proposed Orange line, he said its foundation stone would be laid within the next six months.Relief for Bannerghatta Road users
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bengaluru to inaugurate Namma Metro’s Pink Line, civic authorities launch a cleanup drive along the corridor Wednesday
Inauguration of every stretch of Metro line brings relief to motorists and residents. It’s not because of a new transport line. Ahead of the the inauguration of Metro’s Pink line Friday, Bannerghatta Road, which was a synonym for battered roads, damaged footpaths and poor pedestrian access for months, will sport new surfaces, repaired footpaths at several locations along the elevated corridor.The Bengaluru South city corporation has taken up facelift near Vega City Mall, Jayadeva, Tavarekere Metro station and the Dairy Circle underpass. Potholes have been filled and debris cleared from footpaths.Some motorists dismissed the repairs as cosmetic, saying several stretches continued to have craters and lacked proper pedestrian access to Metro stations.Paver blocks were relaid near JP Nagar 4th Phase station and in BTM 2nd Stage on Nov 5 and 6. New kerbed footpaths were developed near Dairy Circle and Spar Hypermarket on Nov 9 and 10. Roads near Tavarekere and JP Nagar 4th Phase stations were resurfaced on Nov 10, while streetlights inside the Jayadeva underpass were repaired.3 Pink line stations renamedUnion ministry of housing and urban affairs has approved the recommendations of the state govt regarding the renaming of three stations on Namma Metro’s Pink line to better reflect local identities: IIMB station is now Bilekahalli-IIMB; JP Nagar 4th Phase as NS Palya and Tavarekere as Sudduguntepalya.Blue Line train makes progress
Namma Metro’s Blue line train
Namma Metro’s Blue Line train has begun preliminary movement checks on the 6km mainline stretch between Baiyappanahalli depot and Doddanekkundi station, marking a step forward for the much-awaited ORR corridor. The exercise precedes formal trial runs, but BMRCL still has substantial station works to complete along the 19km stretch. Meanwhile, the contractor has launched the final viaduct girder between Silk Board and Baiyappanahalli during Deepavali festivities, completing all girder-launching works on the ORR corridor. BMRCL is targeting mid-2027 for its opening.
