Namma Metro Phase I at double the cost and double the time

From an estimated cost of ₹6,500 crore when work began in 2006, the final bill for Phase I has come to ₹14,405 crore

After a delay of over five years and double the estimated cost, Phase I of Namma Metro is all set to be completely operationalised on Saturday with the inauguration of the Green Line by President Pranab Mukherjee. The opening of the Green Line also brings the metro convenience to the southern parts of the city.

The 42.3 km Phase I of the project with two corridors – East-West (Purple Line) and North-South (Green Line) – was estimated to cost ₹6,500 crore when work began in 2006 and was set to be completed in 2011. However, as Phase I gets completely operational, the final bill has come to ₹14,405 crore.

Transport experts and traffic police are hoping that completion of Phase I will be a game changer for the city. “For the first time, Namma Metro will become an end-to-end commute option, which we hope will reduce congestion on the roads,” said R. Hitendra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).

Namma Metro ridership, which is pegged at an average of 1.75 lakh per day, is expected to rise to 5 lakh, BMRCL officials said.

But is Namma Metro prepared to handle that kind of rider volume? Namma Metro trains may continue to run packed till the middle of next year, as the order that BMRCL has placed for additional coaches is expected to be delivered by June 2018. BMRCL has come under sharp criticism for the delay in placing orders for additional coaches.

Your metro ride set to get dearer

The completion of Phase I comes with a bad news for commuters. Your ride is set to get dearer, starting Saturday.

Pradeep Singh Kharola, Managing Director, BMRCL confirmed a fare hike of around 10% and said that the new fare chart would be announced on Saturday. This will be the first ever fare hike of Namma Metro since the first line between M.G. Road and Baiyappanahalli became operational in 2011.

Sources in BMRCL said that the hike is being effected to reduce cash loss in operational costs. Sources said that BMRCL has till date incurred a loss of ₹276 crore in operational costs.

However, even with the hike, Namma Metro will be far away from breaking even, sources said. Officials said that while 10% is the proposed hike, ticket prices have been rounded off to prevent a scramble for change at the counters.