DK Shivakumar asks Union govt to expedite approvals for five RRTS corridors, says it will aid Bengaluru’s satellite town plans

RRTS

Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar has urged the Union government to expedite approvals for five Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors around Bengaluru.

“On Tuesday, I met Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and discussed approvals for several pending projects. We have also requested RRTS corridors between Bidadi-Mysuru, Harohalli-Kanakapura, Nelamangala-Tumakuru, Airport-Chikkaballapur and Hoskote-Kolar. Satellite towns are being planned around Bengaluru to ease congestion in the city, and RRTS project will support this plan. Union minister has promised to look into our appeal,” Shivakumar said.

Also, read: Karnataka proposes five semi-high-speed RRTS corridors from Bengaluru, seeks Union govt approval

Meanwhile, Karnataka government had instructed Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) to extend Green Line from Madavara (BIEC) to Tumakuru. BMRCL has also awarded a tender for preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the extension to Aarvee Engineering Consultants at a cost of over Rs 1.2 crore.

Experts say the RRTS or suburban rail- not Namma Metro-should connect Tumakuru. However, it is still unclear whether the Metro will extend only up to Nelamangala and whether an RRTS will further connect Tumakuru.

“We have also sought approval for cost escalation in Metro Phase 2. DPR was prepared 15 years ago at an estimated cost of Rs 26,000 crore, which has now escalated to Rs 40,000 crore,” he said.

Appeal for metro and RRTS projects

Shivakumar said the state has also submitted a proposal for approval of Metro Phase 3A from Sarjapur to Hebbal. “If approvals are given, we are ready to start the work,” he said.

On the tunnel road project, he said it does not require central approval as it is a state government project being taken up on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, with investment to be made by the bidder.

The RRTS proposal draws inspiration from the Delhi-Meerut corridor. Recently, National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) proposed four semi-high-speed Namo Bharat corridors from Bengaluru to boost regional connectivity: Bengaluru-Hoskote-Kolar (65 km), Bengaluru-Mysuru (145 km), Bengaluru-Tumakuru (60 km), and Bengaluru-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri (138 km, extending into Tamil Nadu).

Separately, Shivakumar said Karnataka has sought 40-45 TMC of water under the river-linking project and an additional 5 TMC for the Bhima basin. He said the Centre’s allocation of 15.9 TMC to the state under the Godavari-Cauvery link is inadequate, while Karnataka has been allotted 18.5 TMC under the Bedthi-Varada project, taking the total allocation to 34.4 TMC.

He added that the state has cleared the DPR for the Rs 10,000-crore Bedthi–Varada project, with the Centre funding 90 percent, and will submit documents on pending projects, including Upper Krishna, Mahadayi and Mekedatu, within two months.

Also, read: Bengaluru, satellite towns to get semi-high-speed RRTS corridors? NCRTC submits proposal to Karnataka govt