BMRCL’s Green Initiative: India’s First Bamboo-Themed Metro Station Coming Up In Bengaluru

The proposed Bamboo Bazar Metro Station, under construction by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL), will feature a complete bamboo decor, marking a first for Indian metro stations.

Punati Shridhar, Chairman of the Bamboo Society of India (BSI) and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, stated that the BMRCL agreed to their request for a bamboo-themed station. Additionally, native Indian bamboo will be used to green the medians beneath the metro rails and stations, according to a report by The New Indian Express.

Dr. KN Murthy, Executive Director of BSI, informed The New Indian Express that Bambusa tulda wood from Tripura will be utilized for the station's landscape, open areas, and crafts. Furthermore, a 5 km stretch of Bannerghatta Road, from Jayadeva Hospital to Meenakshi Temple, will be developed with Bambusa multiplex.

Construction for both projects is set to begin in the next three months, with an estimated cost of Rs 5-6 crore. However, the final cost and bamboo requirements are still being determined. The BMRCL will use its corporate social responsibility funds to finance the metro station's development and the greening of the medians.

Shridhar highlighted that although India has the world's largest bamboo cultivation area of 13.9 million hectares, China, with only seven million hectares, leads in production with 150 million tonnes compared to India's 4.6 million tonnes. Therefore, increasing the use of Indian bamboo for construction could boost production and demand within the country.

In addition, a metro station in Mumbai is planned to be constructed using bamboo. Notably, the interiors of Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and the walls and floors of the new Parliament building in New Delhi also feature bamboo.

Meanwhile, the Union Government has recently approved Phase 3 of the Bengaluru Metro, which will span 44.65 km and include two new lines: JP Nagar 4th Phase to Kempapura and Hosahalli to Kadabagere.