Bengaluru airport, BMRCL ink MoU for airport metro, railway halt station

While the BMRCL will construct the airport metro section, along with civil, electro-mechanical, other associated facilities, works and related assets, BIAL will develop, manage, and maintain the two metro stations that will be located within the airport boundary, the statement said.

This airport section is a part of the total 56 km metro line called ‘ORR-Airport Metro’ from Central Silk Board Junction to Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru Terminals via KR Puram and Hebbal. The ORR-Airport Metro is being established by BMRCL at an estimated cost of Rs.14,844 crores and is likely to serve 7.8 lakh commuters daily. The two stations within the airport boundaries are likely to see the daily ridership of 0.6 lakh commuters in 2024, increasing to 1.88 lakh commuters by 2041.

“The civil work on the Airport metro section is likely to commence in March 2021. The tenders for the civil works of the 56 km metro viaduct and 30 stations, with an estimated cost of over Rs. 3,230 Crores have already been called in five packages. The work on the first two packages from Central Silk Board Junction to KR Puram is likely to commence in December 2020, and that on the three packages from KR Puram to the Airport is likely to commence in March 2021. The Airport section and the section from Hebbal to the Trumpet Junction will be prioritised,” the statement said.

“Almost two-thirds of the 94 acres of the land required for the ORR-Airport Metro has been acquired and handed over to BMRCL. The balance land is mostly for the metro depot near Trumpet Junction. The shifting of the utilities, namely electricity, water, streetlights, gas and telecom is underway by the concerned agencies,” it added.

The government is establishing the ORR-Airport Metro as per the Metro Policy 2017 with equal equity financing model by the Centre and state government. “The approval of the Government of India is expected by December 2020. The Government of India has already posed the project for the financing of the project by way of long-term loans of about Rs. 5,800 Crores with moderate interest rate by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The formal approvals for the loans are expected by March 2021,” the statement issued by BIAL said.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said, “All agencies of the state and central governments and stakeholders in the city should work in tandem towards the goal of the comprehensive and integrated multi-modal connectivity infrastructure for the new century as set by Hon’ble Prime Minister in his address to the Nation on the 74th Independence Day.”

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways and BIAL signed an MoU for the construction of the Kempegowda International Airport Railway Station (Halt).

“The construction of this Railway Station is near completion and is scheduled to be operationalised shortly. BIAL is constructing the station and will hand over the station to the Indian Railways, which will operate and maintain the station. BIAL will provide free shuttle service from the Airport Halt Station to the Terminal and other parts of the Airport, as per the schedule of the train services.” BIAL officials said.