Metro orange line completion put off to 2031 even before work starts

BENGALURU: The completion of the much-anticipated Orange Line Metro project in Bengaluru, connecting JP Nagar 4th Phase to Kadabagerehalli via Kempegowda International Airport, has been put off to May, 2031 even before work has started on the ground.

Recently, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the highly anticipated project in the city, but the completion time for the Orange Line project has been pushed back by a year, from 2030 to May 2031.

According to BMRCL sources, the Orange Line project will take around 5.5 years to complete. The tender process is expected to be finalised by November this year, and construction is set to begin in December or January next year, with the initial goal being to complete the project by 2029 or 2030.

However, due to the decision to build double-decker corridors to reduce traffic congestion, the project’s timeline has been extended by a year, and the cost is likely to increase by 5 pc or more. The 44.65 km long project will be built in two phases, and the double-decker construction will require additional time, which is why the project’s completion time has been pushed to 2031, sources explained.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 15,611 crore, and due to the delay, the cost is expected to increase by 5 per cent. The state government approved the project in 2021 and had sent the DPR to the central government, which gave its approval last year.

A loan agreement worth Rs 6,770 crore is set to be signed with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in November, which will be used for Metro coaches and other construction work. The project will be built in eight packages through tender, including stations, viaducts, and depots in four packages.

According to current estimates, the overall construction work is expected to be completed by May 2031, but if issues arise like with the Yellow Line project, it may take even longer.