Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has defended the change in alignment of the Namma Metro line from Nagawara to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and said it will benefit commuters from East Bengaluru.
In a release here on Monday, BMRCL said the revised Phase 2B metro alignment will also help commuters from the central parts of the city travelling to KIA by the inter-modal transit at Hebbal.
The length of the corridor from Nagawara to KIA, via Hebbal and Jakkur, is 29.12 km.
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Nagawara will be the interchange station for the underground metro line. The length of alignment from Nagawara junction on Outer Ring Road to Jakkur Cross via Hebbal is 7.23 km.
As per the original plan, the alignment from Nagawara to KIA, via R.K. Hegde Nagar, Jakkur as an extension, was 29.062 km. BMRCL has also stated that by changing the alignment, the travel time from Nagawara to KIA will not increase.
BMRCL has also justified the change in alignment by pointing to the presence of a high pressure petrol pipeline and two major water pipelines between Jakkur Cross and R.K. Hegde Nagar.
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That apart, the corporation will have to acquire many residential properties. The delay in completing the underground metro line up to Nagawara could delay commissioning of the airport line, the release said.
The corporation has also said that the airport line is proposed to extend beyond Nagawara up to K.R. Puram for 7.32 km. The total length of the revised line of Phase 2B will be 36.44 km from K.R. Puram to KIA, via Nagawara, Hebbal and Jakkur Cross. The total cost of the revised alignment is pegged at ₹10,584.15 crore.
BMRCL has claimed that by extending the line beyond Nagawara up to K.R. Puram, the corporation will be able to provide additional connectivity to Phase 2 and 2A at K.R. Puram to facilitate commuters from Whitefield and Electronics City to reach the KIA.
That apart, it will also be beneficial for the development of industries, business centres along the Outer Ring Road, between Nagawara and K.R. Puram, and for the advancement of Phase 3 Metro corridor along the Outer Ring Road on the same stretch.