Karnataka to spend Rs 2,000 cr on land for metro rail

The Karnataka government is expected to spend close to Rs 2,000 crore through Karnataka Industrial Areas Development (KIADB) to acquire land for implementing Phase II of the Bangalore Metro Rail.

The second phase has a total length of 72 km and will have four extensions to the first phase, which is under execution - Mysore Road Terminal to Kengeri (6.5 km), Byappanahalli to Whitefield (15 km), Hesaraghatta cross to BIEC (3.7 km), Puttenahalli Cross to Anjanapura Township (up to NICE road). It also has two new lines - IIMB to Nagawara (21 km including 13.8 km underground stretch) and R V Road to Bommasandra (18.8 km).

The state government has already approved the second phase of Namma Metro, which is estimated to cost Rs 27,000 crore. The first phase, spanning 42.3 kms will cost Rs 11,609 crore. The second phase is presently awaiting final approval from the Centre.

While phase-I is scheduled for completion in December 2013, the phase-II would be completed by 2017. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) intends to execute the second phase of works along with the first phase as and when it gets the Centre's nod.

The second phase would be executed with both the budgetary support from the state and central governments along with external borrowing from the Japanese government.

The details of the loans from Japan would be worked out later, state government sources said.

The BMRCL had submitted the detailed project report (DPR) in 2011, which was done by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.