Work on Bengaluru Metro’s airport line 72% over, will meet 2027 deadline: BMRCL

The phase 2 projects have missed several deadlines and continue to face setbacks.
The 58-km corridor is being built under phases 2A and 2B at a projected cost of Rs 14,788 crore.

Construction on the Silk Board–KR Puram elevated stretch began in August 2021, with the KR Puram– KIA stretch starting early the following year. While most stretches have progressed steadily, the KR Puram–Hebbal stretch remains the weak link.

In January 2023, a pier under construction collapsed, killing a woman and her young son—a tragedy that prompted BMRCL to tighten safety protocols before resuming work. The stretch has also been slowed by land acquisition issues, tree-clearance delays, Outer Ring Road congestion, pending traffic approvals, and labour shortages.

BMRCL had aimed to start trial runs on the Silk Board–KR Puram stretch in October, but crucial work remains pending—including depot connectivity to Baiyappanahalli and civil construction at major stations such as Silk Board, Iblur, and Marathahalli.

A BMRCL spokesperson told indianexpress.com that the project timeline, however, would remain unchanged.

Orange Line progress just 3.6%

The 45-km Orange Line under the metro’s phase 3 has made just 3.6 per cent physical progress, the ministry told Parliament. Sanctioned two years ago at an estimated Rs 15,611 crore, the corridor will run from Kempapura to JP Nagar along the Outer Ring Road and from Hosahalli to Kadabagere.

Progress on the Orange Line has stalled largely because of delays in obtaining the ministry’s approval for the state government’s plan to construct a Rs 9,700-crore, 37-km double-decker flyover above sections of the metro alignment.

Although BMRCL has already floated tenders for three construction packages, pending approval for the flyover has held up the project’s execution.