Despite Karnataka’s lack of enthusiasm for the project, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) aggressively pushing for extending the metro line from Bommasandra in Bengaluru to Hosur in Tamil Nadu has raised concerns in the State government.
CMRL officials met Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on August 27 to discuss extending the metro line to Hosur. However, BMRCL officials clarified on August 28 that nothing had been finalised, as the Detailed Feasibility Study Report is incomplete.
This move to extend Bengaluru’s Namma Metro line to Hosur, an industrial hub just across the inter-State border, comes close on the heels of Tamil Nadu government’s announcement two months ago about a plan to construct an international airport in Hosur.
As demand for a second airport for Bengaluru grows louder and the State government is scouting for land for the same, an international airport in Hosur with seamless metro connectivity from Bengaluru’s IT corridor has raised concerns in Karnataka. It could not only kill the second airport project for Bengaluru but also could potentially divert investments away from the city, it is feared.
Kempegowda International Airport, located in Devanahalli on the northern outskirts of the city, is too far from the city’s IT corridor on its south-eastern outskirts, while Hosur is a short distance away.
CMRL and BMRCL MDs meet
On August 28, BMRCL confirmed that the Managing Director of CMRL, M.A. Siddique, held discussions with BMRCL Managing Director M. Maheshwar Rao at the BMRCL office in Shanti Nagar. A senior official from BMRCL shared that the Chennai Metro officials presented the technical aspects of the project, noting that the Detailed Feasibility Study Report (DFR) they have been working on is nearing completion.
There is some uncertainty regarding how the cost will be shared between the two States, with senior officials suggesting that Karnataka may not contribute to the project financially since it originated from Tamil Nadu’s side.
BMRCL officials, however, refrained from commenting on how the metro construction on the Karnataka side would proceed, pending completion of the DFR. “Decisions regarding funding for the metro line will be made only after the DFR is finalised,” a BMRCL official said, adding that nothing concrete was decided or finalised during the meeting.
CMRL officials, on their part, have been actively assessing the feasibility of extending the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) line from Bommasandra to Hosur via Attibele. This proposed extension spans 23 kilometres, with approximately 11 kilometres falling within Tamil Nadu and 12 kilometres in Karnataka. The line is expected to feature 12 metro stations and a depot, significantly enhancing transportation infrastructure between the two regions.
The Hosur Metro is planned to connect with the upcoming Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro. The 18.82-kilometre Yellow Line, which is scheduled to become operational by the end of this year, will connect R.V. Road station with Bommasandra. It is expected to significantly improve connectivity to areas in south Bengaluru, particularly those hosting major IT and biotech companies, such as Infosys and Biocon.
