Bengaluru-Tumkuru Metro Extension: Distance, Cost, Route and Timeline Bengaluru-News News

The story of Bengaluru’s metro has remained mostly within the city limits, dealing with movement between neighbourhoods, IT corridors and expanding suburbs. Now, a new chapter is taking shape that may take Namma Metro beyond Bengaluru for the first time.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited has finalized the tender for preparing the detailed project report to extend the Green Line from Madavara to Tumakuru, a move that will create Karnataka’s first inter-district metro line.

Although this is not the start of construction, it is an important planning milestone. DPR is the document that decides whether a project is technically feasible, financially viable and worth taking to the next approval stage.

Tender awarded and cost

BMRCL has given the contract for preparing the DPR to RV Engineering Consultants Limited. The value of the contract is Rs 1.26 crore. This consultant will be responsible for preparing the complete project blueprint which BMRCL can submit for government approval and funding decisions.

According to the tender conditions, the agency will have to complete the DPR within 5 months and submit it to BMRCL. That deadline matters because it sets the pace for everything that comes next. Till the DPR is prepared, the route options will remain preliminary and no final decision on alignment, station location or cost estimate can be taken.

Route length and main corridor

The proposed extension is expected to cover a distance of 59.60 km from Madavara to Tumakuru. The initial corridor mentioned in the planning discussions indicates that the route may pass through Madavara, Nelamangala and Dubspate before reaching Tumakuru. These nodes are important as they sit along the Bengaluru Tumakuru development belt with a mix of residential expansion, highway traffic pressure and industrial activity.

If this alignment is later confirmed, it could reshape the daily commute options for people living in and around these cities, and the functioning of the Bengaluru Tumakuru Highway corridor.

What will the DPR study?

BMRCL has indicated that the DPR will not be a simple paper formality. This will involve a comprehensive study of multiple route alignment options and ground realities. The consultant will conduct geotechnical and local field surveys, which will help determine soil conditions and construction constraints. This is important for deciding whether sections can be elevated to grade, or require special engineering solutions.

The scope of the DPR also includes environmental impact assessment, which looks at how the line may affect the local ecology, land use and surrounding settlements. Along with this, the consultant should evaluate the technical feasibility and financial feasibility to identify the most efficient and realistic design.

In practical terms, this function decides whether the project is economical, where it should be run, and what types of agreements will be required.

What does this mean for the Green Line

Currently, the Green Line runs 33.46 km with 31 stations, connecting Silk Institute to Madavara. The Tumakuru extension will take the Metro beyond the city limits of Bengaluru for the first time. That is why it is being prepared not just as an internal network extension but as an inter-district metro.

For commuters, it is about creating an easier transit option between Bengaluru and Tumakuru. It also targets the heavy reliance on road transport on the Bengaluru Tumakuru Highway, which sees heavy daily traffic of private vehicles, buses and freight.

What will happen after DPR?

Once the consultant submits the DPR, BMRCL will send it to the Central Government for approval. The project can move towards implementation only after getting the approval of the Centre. The funding structure and timeline will be shaped by the approval process, which typically includes cost checks, ridership projections and feasibility checks.

Claimed economic and social impact

Apart from passenger convenience, the proposed metro link is expected to support economic growth in Tumakuru district by improving accessibility and encouraging industrial growth, trade and tourism. Planners also see it as a means of reducing congestion for Bengaluru in the long term, as better connectivity could strengthen satellite towns and outskirts, reducing pressure on the city core as population and housing demand expand outwards.

At present, the project is at the planning stage. But with the DPR tender being finalised, the idea of ​​an inter-district metro is no longer just a headline. It’s on track, one document at a time.