Bengaluru-Hosur Metro Extension: No Final Decision Yet As BMRCL Reviews Feasibility

Despite Karnataka's tepid response to the project, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is pushing vigorously for an extension of the metro line from Bommasandra in Bengaluru to Hosur in Tamil Nadu. This has raised concerns within the Karnataka State Government.

On August 27, CMRL officials met with Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to discuss the potential extension. However, BMRCL clarified on August 28 that no decisions have been made, as the Detailed Feasibility Study Report remains incomplete.

The proposed extension to Hosur, an industrial hub just across the state border, follows Tamil Nadu's recent announcement of plans to build an international airport in Hosur. This development, coupled with growing demand for a second airport in Bengaluru, has heightened concerns in Karnataka. An international airport in Hosur with direct metro connectivity from Bengaluru's IT corridor could potentially undermine the second airport project and shift investments away from Bengaluru.

Kempegowda International Airport, located in Devanahalli on the city's northern outskirts, is far from the IT corridor in the southeastern part of the city, whereas Hosur is much closer.

On August 28, the Managing Directors of CMRL and BMRCL met at the BMRCL office in Shanti Nagar. A senior BMRCL official revealed that CMRL's Managing Director, M.A. Siddique, discussed the project's technical aspects with BMRCL's Managing Director, M. Maheshwar Rao. The official noted that the Detailed Feasibility Study Report (DFR) is nearing completion.