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Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is likely to reduce the size of the underground stations planned for Namma Metro’s upcoming Phase 3A, also known as the Red Line, said media reports. As per the revised design, each station will be around 40 metres shorter than originally proposed. The change follows a cost reduction of about Rs 2,920 crore, according to senior officials, the media report cited. The 36.59-km Red Line will connect Sarjapur in the southeast to Hebbal in the north, passing through the city centre, and is expected to be completed by 2031. When the Karnataka cabinet approved the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) in December 2024, the total cost was estimated at Rs 28,405 crore — the highest in Namma Metro’s history. However, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) felt the cost was too high compared to national benchmarks and asked the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to review it. To reassess the estimates, BMRCL hired the French consultancy firm Systra. The company recently submitted its draft report, which the ministry is now examining, reported Deccan Herald. A senior BMRCL official explained that the higher costs were mainly due to three factors — tunnelling, station length, and electrical and mechanical (E&M) works. Most of the variation came from tunnelling and station design. ‘Complex Soil Condition in Bengaluru’: BMRCL Initially, the BMRCL had estimated tunnelling costs at Rs 300 crore per kilometre, based on recent rates. But MoHUA’s benchmark for 2024 was Rs 159 crore per kilometre — much lower. BMRCL argued that Bengaluru’s soil conditions are complex and change every 25–30 metres, making tunnelling more expensive than in other cities. To reduce costs, Systra suggested shortening the underground stations from 210 metres to 170 metres by optimising the space used for operational rooms. The platform itself, meant for six-coach trains, will remain 135 metres long, so passengers are unlikely to notice much difference. Also Read: Tamil Nadu Man Kills Wife; Body Found in Drum After Sons Say They Hadn’t Seen Her for 2 Months Some existing underground stations in Bengaluru are only 190 metres long. After these adjustments, the estimated tunnelling cost has come down to Rs 210 crore per kilometre, which in turn reduces the overall project cost. Officials said the alignment and key systems of Phase 3A will stay the same. The ministry is now reviewing whether to approve the revised cost or ask for further cuts. Although full-scale construction will begin only after central approval, BMRCL has already started early groundwork. In October, it issued tenders worth Rs 6.86 crore for geotechnical investigations — studies that assess the soil and rock conditions needed to design tunnels and foundations. Contractors will have 150 days to complete this work once selected. Underground Sections Phase 3A will have underground sections through Koramangala and the Central Business District, and double-deck elevated sections that combine metro and road viaducts between Sarjapur and Iblur, and between Agara and Koramangala 3rd Block. Its route largely follows the proposed tunnel road between Silk Board Junction and Hebbal, though the two projects will not overlap except near Hebbal, where the designs have already been adjusted. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Bengaluru and around the world.
