RailEnquiry

BANGALORE: The expanding Namma Metro promises to integrate the city, if proposals and plans are anything to go by. Close on the heels of the in-principle approval for Phase II of the project, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) has begun talking about the city needing a Phase III of this mass rapid transit project.Tweeted BMRC MD N Sivasailam: "Bangalore requires at least 250 kms of metro lines for the present population and city spread. Plans are ready for phase 3. It is the state government's privilege to announce it. It is waiting for GOI approval for phase 2."Phase I, for which work is under way, covers 42.3km long, Phase II, which requires final clearance from the Centre, is about 72km. That leaves at least 135km of additional track to be laid to knit the city into a connected metropolis.BMRC officials point out that vast stretches of the city, like Koramangala, Marathahalli, Sarjapur, HRBR Layout, Hebbal and Magadi Road need to be brought within the Metro's coverage."Phase III should ideally connect areas on the ring routes and connect outlying regions with the central business district, commercial hubs and prime work places," said SK Lohia, OSD (urban transport) and ex-officio joint secretary, Union ministry of urban development. Lohia is also a director on the BMRC board.With the first two phases focusing on radial routes, the proposed ring routes would complete a network that will make the mass rapid transit system accessible to most residential, commercial and industrial hubs through some efficient feeder services.

Unlike Phase I, which is almost in place and will be fully operational by the end of 2014, and Phase II which is awaiting formal clearance to shift from the drawing board to becoming a ground reality, Phase III is still in the proposal stage. But enough things are happening at the level of decision-makers and policy analysts.

"It's the prerogative of the state government to announce it (Phase III) which they (state government) will do after the central government clears Phase II for implementation. After the state government gives the nod for Phase III, we will begin with detailed project report (DPR) preparation which will take up to 18 months," Sivasailam told TOI.

The story so far

Phase I: Comprises four reaches. Reach 1 is operational, Reach 2 is expected to open by mid-2013 and the phase is expected to be fully operational by 2014-end

Phase II: The four reaches of Phase I will be extended and two new lines laid between Nagawara and Gottigere, and RV Road and Bommasandra (total of 72km). DPR has been approved by the state government. BMRC has started testing earth samples and will take up land acquisition and tendering of civil work after formal clearance from the Centre. Work is estimated to be complete by 2017-18

Ridership: The two phases have been designed for a capacity of 40,000 PHPDT (Peak Hour Peak Direction Trips) which means that 40,000 people can travel in one hour during peak hours. The number of daily passengers is estimated at 12 lakh in 2013 and 19 lakh in 2021