Bengaluru metro’s Orange Line delayed due to double-decker flyovers; Deadline pushed to 2031

The ambitious Phase 3 of Bengaluru’s Namma Metro, the Orange Line, will take an extra year to complete as BMRCL integrates double-decker flyovers to decongest traffic and optimise space.

Bengaluru’s ambitious Phase 3 of Namma Metro, popularly called the Orange Line, is set to be delayed by at least a year as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has opted to integrate double-decker flyovers along crucial stretches of the corridor. The decision, aimed at easing long-term road congestion, will also increase the overall project cost by around 5%.

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The ₹15,611 crore Phase 3 project, spread over 44.65 km with 31 elevated stations, had received Union Cabinet approval in August 2024 and was originally scheduled for completion by 2029 or mid-2030. With the latest design changes, the revised deadline has now been pushed to May 2031.

Phase 3 includes two major corridors , a 32.15 km stretch from J.P. Nagar 4th Phase to Kempapura, and a 12.5 km line from Hosahalli to Kadabagere. The double-decker viaduct design will demand 25% more land and additional road-widening measures, but BMRCL believes this upgrade will offer long-term efficiency and significant relief to road commuters.

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The integration of double-decker flyovers is not new for Bengaluru. A similar structure on the Yellow Line near Ragigudda, commissioned as South India’s first rail-cum-road flyover, has already demonstrated success. The Orange Line’s design draws inspiration from this model, ensuring smoother traffic flow while metro operations expand.

Once operational, Phase 3 will dramatically boost connectivity by linking multiple interchange points with existing metro lines, Peenya and J.P. Nagar (Green Line), Mysuru Road (Purple Line), and Sumanahalli (Hosahalli–Kadabagere corridor). Hebbal will emerge as a critical junction, connecting the Orange Line with the Blue Line to Kempegowda International Airport and the Red Line to Sarjapur.

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The project will be executed in at least eight tender packages, with bidding expected to open by November 2025 and groundwork likely to begin by early 2026. Phase 3 is projected to carry 7.85 lakh passengers daily and extend Bengaluru’s metro network to 222.2 km, making it one of India’s largest urban transit systems.

Preliminary work such as geotechnical surveys has already been completed, and land acquisition is in progress. BMRCL maintains that despite the revised deadline, the integrated flyovers will add immense value, ensuring Bengaluru’s future traffic woes are addressed alongside its growing public transport needs.

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