Bengaluru-Hosur metro project declared ‘Technically Not Feasible’ due to power system differences

Plans for South India’s first interstate metro hit a roadblock as BMRCL cites traction system incompatibility; Bengaluru’s metro expansion continues with new large-scale corridors.

The ambitious plan to connect Bengaluru and Hosur through South India’s first interstate metro line has encountered a major hurdle, with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) declaring the project “technically not feasible.” Officials cited differences in the traction systems, the electrical setups powering metro trains, between the two networks, making seamless integration impossible.

The Tamil Nadu government had strongly backed the Hosur-Bommasandra metro corridor, seeing it as a potential driver of industrial and economic growth in Hosur. However, BMRCL officials cautioned that while the project looks promising on paper, practical execution is constrained by incompatible power systems.

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Feasibility studies for Bengaluru metro expansions are ongoing. Hyderabad-based Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers and Consultants Pvt. Ltd. prepared draft reports for four extensions, which BMRCL aims to finalise by the end of October.

Beyond the interstate corridor, BMRCL is evaluating three more corridor extensions and a new line, part of a comprehensive master plan directed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to expand Bengaluru’s metro network to 470 km, nearly matching Delhi’s 467 km system.

The proposed expansions include:

•    Blue Line extension: Doddajala-Devanahalli (10 km)

•    Purple Line extension: KR Puram-Hoskote (16.3 km)

•    Silver Line extension: Kadabagere-Tavarekere Village (6 km)

•    New Line: Kalena Agrahara to Kadugodi Tree Park via Bannerghatta, Jigani, Attibele, Sarjapur, Dommasandra, and Varthur Kodi (68 km)

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These seven proposed extensions and the new line will collectively add nearly 211 km to the Namma Metro network, raising its total planned coverage to 467.69 km. “Preparing a single master plan will help us avoid piecemeal approvals and fast-track development,” a senior BMRCL official said, noting that large-scale projects exceeding 200 km are necessary to tackle Bengaluru’s severe traffic congestion.

As Bengaluru grapples with growing urban transport demands, the setback for the interstate metro underscores the technical challenges of connecting state metro networks while highlighting the city’s commitment to expansive metro growth.

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