If all goes well, people in Bengaluru can reach the Kempegowda International Airport via metro rail from June 2025. The airport line includes two phases — Central Silk Board to KR Puram (Phase 2A) and KR Puram to Kempegowda International Airport (Phase 2B).
This deadline of June 2025 has been given as Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa-led Metropolitan Planning Committee set a timeline for the Phase 2A and 2B of the metro project on May 10. These developments come after the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on April 20, finally approved the long pending project.
However, existing ongoing metro work has been suffering years of delay, which has been aggravated by the first COVID-19 lockdown.
As earlier reported, the total length of the project is 58.19 km. TNM had also reported how the line was first proposed in 2017 and in January 2021, the project plan of the two phases was sent to the Public Investment Board (PIB) for clearance by the Ministry of Urban Affairs.
In December 2020, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had approved a $500 million loan to BMRCL for this project even before the approval.
A statement by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited on May 10 said:
> Phase 2A metro project is from Central Silk Board Junction to K R Puram a length of 20 km and Phase 2B is from KR Puram to Airport Terminal via Hebbal for a length of 38 km, covering a total length of 58 km and 30 stations and is an important metro project for Bengaluru.
> This will provide reliable and safe public transport for a large number of IT industries located along ORR from Central Silk Board to Hebbal and for travellers to the airport.
> This project was sanctioned by GOK in Jan 2019 and GOI also communicated sanction on 28.04.2021 at a cost of Rs 14,788 cr.
> BMRCL completed a major part of land acquisition and utility relocation and is ready to commence the works. They are scheduled to commission this 58 km metro line in less than 5 years time.