BENGALURU
More than a year after the Central government gave the green signal to Bengaluru’s much-awaited Orange Line Metro project, construction work is yet to begin, raising serious concerns over mounting financial losses. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the project, creating high expectations of early execution. However, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is yet to invite tenders for the civil works.
As of now, one year and 123 days have passed since the project received approval, but ground-level progress remains negligible. Sources said the continued delay is proving expensive, with BMRCL reportedly facing an additional financial burden of nearly ₹2 crore for every day the project is stalled. At this rate, a delay of 487 days could translate into an extra cost of around ₹974 crore.
The Central government had accorded approval for Phase III of the Orange Line on August 16, 2024. Despite this, tenders for civil construction have not yet been floated. Officials attribute the delay to the State government’s decision to develop the entire corridor as a double-decker structure, combining metro and road infrastructure. While the move is aimed at easing traffic congestion, it has significantly escalated project costs.
The double-decker decision is expected to require an additional ₹9,000 crore, pushing the financial burden higher and complicating the tendering process. Sources indicated that prolonged delays could further inflate tender costs by thousands of crores due to rising material prices and interest components. The original Orange Line project was estimated to cost ₹15,611 crore, but the delay alone could add at least ₹500 crore more to the overall expenditure.
The Orange Line Metro comprises two corridors — Corridor-1 from JP Nagar to Kempapura spanning 32.15 km, and Corridor-2 from Hosahalli to Kadabagere covering 12.5 km. Together, the project will extend over approximately 44.65 km and is expected to significantly improve east-west and north-south connectivity in the city.
With costs mounting rapidly, experts warn that further delays could severely strain public finances and undermine Bengaluru’s long-term transport planning.
