Bengaluru: NCC Emerges As Lowest Bidder For All 3 Packages Of 37 kms ORR Airport Metro Line

NCC Ltd. has emerged as the lowest bidder to construct all 3 packages of Bangalore Metro’s 37 kms Airport Line (Blue Line), which will link Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to KR Puram, The Metro Rail Guy reported.

The ORR-Airport Metro project will comprise of two new metro lines (Phase 2A and Phase 2B), mostly elevated, with a total length of 56 km along Outer Ring Road (ORR) and National Highway 44 between Central Silk Board and Kempegowda International Airport. The line will include 30 metro stations that will provide multimodal facilities, such as bus bays, taxi stand, motorcycle pools, and pedestrian walkways and bridges will be build under the project.

In April this year, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs approved the Bengaluru Metro Rail Project Phase 2A and 2B.

Bids for construction of the 37 km Airport ORR-Airport Metro line were invited in July 2020 and the last date for submission was subsequently moved to October 2020 due to the pandemic related disruptions. Technical bids were finally opened in June 2021.

The 37-kms Phase 2B network, which is estimated to be constructed at the cost Rs 10,584 crore, comprises of 17 stations — Kasturinagar, Horamavu, HRBR Layout, Kalyan Nagar, HBR Layout, Nagawara, Veeranna Palya, Kempapura, Hebbal, Kodigehalli, Jakkur Cross, Yelahanka, Bagalur Cross, Bettahalasuru, Trumpet Junction, KIA West and Airport Terminal.

The 3 elevated packages of the Bangalore Metro Phase 2B project range from 11 to 15 kms.

Phase 2A Construction Under Progress

Phase 2A, which runs between KR Puram and Central Silkboard along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) with 13 stations, is already under construction.

Mumbai-based Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. and Bengaluru-based Shankaranarayana Constructions Pvt. Ltd, emerged as the lowest bidders to construct the 18.236 kms Central Silkboard – KR Puram (Phase 2A) project.

BMRCL issued work order to both the companies in May after which they commenced the construction.

Afcons Infrastructure Limited is executing the first package of Phase 2A— 9.8kms elevated section with six stations (Central Silk Board Junction, HSR Layout, Agara Junction, Iblur Junction, Bellandur, Kadubeesanahalli and construction of a 2.8m flyover at Central Silk Board). The package is valued at Rs.785 crore.

Shankaranarayana Constructions Pvt Ltd is constructing the second package — 9.7kms elevated section with seven stations (Kodibisanahalli, Marathahalli, ISRO Layout, Doddanekkundi, DRDO Sports Complex, Saraswathi Nagar (Mahadevapura) and KR Puram and a 2kms link line to Byappanahalli depot). The package is valued at Rs.623 crore.

Funding

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has secured complete funding for both Phase 2A and Phase 2B of the project. Last month, BMRCL announced that it has signed an agreement with the Asian Development Plan (ADB) for a $500 million (Rs 3,643 crore) loan to fund the construction of Namma Metro's airport corridor.

By inking the ADB funding deal, BMRCL has realised the target of raising Rs 5,960 crore through loans from multilateral or bilateral agencies. In March this year, it secured a $318 million (Rs 2,317 crore) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The state and union governments will contribute Rs 3,973 crore in equity and subordinate debt. Karnataka will pay an additional Rs 2,762 crore for land acquisition.