Residents in Bengaluru could get metro access within one to two kilometres of their residence or place of work by 2032. This is the aim revealed in an action plan prepared by the Karnataka government. Bengaluru currently has a metro rail network running 56 km. The new lines proposed span 59 km and would cost Rs 27000 crore as per the action plan which aims to make Karnataka a $1 trillion economy by 2032.
According to the action plan, there are two new metro routes and two extensions proposed - Old Airport Road, from MG Road to Hope Farm via Marathahalli and Whitefield (IT corridor) (underground) (16 Km) at an estimated cost of Rs 9,600 crore (600 crore per Km) and 25 Km Nagawara - Kempegowda International Airport via Thanisandra /Bharatiya City at an estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 400 crore per km).
"Four new metro lines proposed towards the target of metro access to every citizen of Bengaluru within 1-2 km of their place of work or residence by 2032,” reads the action plan by the Karnataka department of planning, programme monitoring and statistics and industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industries (FICCI). 40 of the 51 metro stations in Bengaluru fall under the limits of the city municipal body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
The action plan further proposed to reduce traffic congestion and raise revenues by levying a congestion charge on vehicles coming into Bengaluru during peak hours from nine entry points such as Hosur Road, Mysuru Road and Ballari Road.
Another proposal is to create 12 ‘good life’ clusters by adopting “30-minute proposals” to ensure citizens have access to a range of services — shopping, healthcare, education and so on — within 30 minutes.
The proposed clusters are Malleswaram–Rajajinagar, Jayanagar-JP Nagar, Indiranagar-Koramangala, HSR Layout-Sarjapur Road, Whitefield-Kadugodi, Banashankari-Kanakapura Road, Electronics City-Bommanahalli, Banaswadi-HRBR Layout, Thanisandra-Nagawara, Hebbal-Yelahanka, Yeshwantpur-Peenya and Marathahalli-Yemalur.