Govt to approve 2 Bengaluru Metro Phase 3 corridors pre-polls

More than a year after securing clearance from the Karnataka government, it is anticipated that the Union government will grant approval for two corridors of Bengaluru Metro's Phase 3. The approval is expected to be granted prior to the Lok Sabha elections, a development that experts speculate will be advantageous for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in terms of electoral gains in the IT hub. In November 2022, the Karnataka government sanctioned Namma Metro's two Phase 3 corridors, covering a total of 44.6 kilometers - the JP Nagar 4th Phase-Kempapura stretch along ORR West (32.1 km) and the Hosahalli-Kadabagere line along Magadi Road (12.5 km). However, the approval has been pending with the Union government since then. According to sources from the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), approval for these two corridors is expected to be received soon. A BMRCL official stated, The model code of conduct [MCC] for the Lok Sabha elections is likely to take effect in the first or second week of March 2024. So, we expect approval before the MCC kicks in. The approval for expanding the network along ORR West and Magadi Road is anticipated to improve the public transport system and bolster the real estate sector on the outskirts. Nevertheless, some transport experts suggest extending the ORR West corridor from JP Nagar 4th Phase to Central Silk Board for seamless multi-modal transport integration. The approval for the two Phase 3 corridors is in an advanced stage. We've already addressed the queries raised by the Union ministries and departments. We are hopeful that the approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs [CCEA] will come soon. The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) imposed restrictions on the Phase 3 corridor approval process. BMRCL has agreed to MoHUA's condition to operate three-coach trains instead of the initially planned six-coach rolling stock.