Pre-Construction Work Underway for Bangalore Metro’s Airport Line

Over the past 9 months, various small contractors have been carrying out pre-construction demolition and utility shifting works for Bangalore Metro’s 37 km Airport Line (Line-5 / Blue Line) which will link KR Puram and Kempegowda International Airport through 17 stations.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has so far awarded the following 7 pre-construction contracts under Bangalore Metro’s Phase 2B project:

ScopeAwarded to
Geotechnical investigationBureau Veritas (Rs. 12.21 lakh)
DGPS, Topographic, Land & Property SurveyG. S. Survey & Engineers (Rs 21.71 lakh)
Additional Geotechnical investigationShree Balaji Test House Pvt. Ltd (Rs. 59.20 lakh)
Providing/ Shifting of Street LightsPower-Tech Electricals (Rs 75.3 lakh)
Partial and Full demolition/dismantling of buildings/structuresShaik Fakruddin (Rs 7.86 lakh)
Shifting of BESCOM Electrical Utilities between Hebbal and Indian Airforce GateGowtham’s Electricals (Rs 4.58 crore)
Shifting of BESCOM Electrical Utilities Bharathi Nagara and Kempegowda International Airport (KIA)Shah Electricals (Rs 2.93 crore)

BMRCL’s latest October newsletter indicates 250 properties need to be acquired for constructing the Airport Line’s viaduct and stations. Out of those – 240 have been acquired and 171 of those have been handed to BMRCL’s engineering department for demolition.

Demolition works began in July. Here’s a snap shot at Kasturi Nagar:

Banner Says “BMRCL – AIRPORT LINE | Demolition Work in Progress” (view large) – Photo Copyright: Mubarak Shaik SF
Route of Bangalore Metro’s Airport Line with key stations marked – view Bangalore Metro Phase 2 info & route map with all stations

As far as construction work goes, bids for 3 civil packages were invited in July with an original submission deadline of September 3. That date has been moved four times now. From the latest date of December 22, the new submission date has been pushed all the way to February 16, 2021.

Same goes for the Limited Project Management Consultant (PMC) contract. The last date for submitting bids has been moved from December 22 to January 29, 2021.

In other news, Afcons Infrastructure’s first tunnel boring machine (TBM) for Package RT-01 of the 21.386 km Pink Line is expected to arrive in town this weekend from Chennai’s port. Afcons will be deploying three Herrenknecht machines to build the Dairy Circle Ramp – National Military School section for which full-fledged construction work began in June.

For more updates, check out the Bangalore section of The Metro Rail Guy!

– TMRG

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

22 Responses to "Pre-Construction Work Underway for Bangalore Metro’s Airport Line"

  1. Anil Karat says:

    hoping that they take the metro entirely through service roads and not the newly laid concreted ring road

    Reply
  2. Anurag Kumar says:

    No update on Patna metro??
    I think soil investigation is still going on and will take around 2-3 months.??
    The Patna metro project is almost delayed by half years.And still the work is going on snail speed.
    I think the contractor are waiting for government nod to start pilling work.But government has no intention toward this project.
    In patna nor shifting of utility has started also land acquisition.
    None of the bidders are willing to submit their bid for Patna Metro underground section that’s bids dates are extended.

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Will share an update when there’s visual confirmation of piling work. At the most they might have bored a test pile.

      As of now, it’s still in the pre-construction stage with soil testing underway.

      Reply
  3. Anonymous says:

    When can we see this line get opened? 2026-27?

    Reply
    • Anamay says:

      Going by their previous record, not before 2032.

      Reply
      • Syed Rehan Afroze says:

        Sir,
        First of all in completion of the project there are many factors which decide the pace with which the project can be completed.
        It does not solely depend on the respective organization

        Reply
      • Goldie says:

        This is what exactly going to happen..

        Reply
    • TMRG says:

      2026-2027 is a good estimate. Sections of it might open prior.

      But all of that depends on the award of contracts and start of work which as of now will not begin until Q3 2021.

      Reply
    • KIRAN M M says:

      No chance ,mg road to byappanahalli is only 7 km ,it take working time for metro ,10 years,kr puram to airport line will take 15 years ,!!!!!!

      Reply
  4. Sri says:

    Has Silkboard – KRPuram metro been scrapped?

    Nothing else explains pouring tons of money on bus lanes, bus shelters, bike lanes (never mind if mooted by DULT, ultimately it’s paid by the state/city), redoing exits and merges, redoing footpath kerbsides and footpath tiles, etc on a stretch that’s verrry imminent to be ripped and rerouted for imminent metro construction. Who does that kind of shitty planning?!?

    Reply
    • Jeevan says:

      Yes, I also heard that it has been scrapped

      Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Not scrapped. Contracts are pending award. Financial bids were opened in October: https://themetrorailguy.com/2020/10/13/afcons-shankaranarayana-win-bangalore-metro-phase-2a-orr-work/

      Reply
      • Rathnakar says:

        Pouring tons of money on bus lanes, bus shelters, bike lanes (never mind if mooted by DULT, ultimately it’s paid by the state/city), redoing exits and merges, redoing footpath kerbsides and footpath tiles, etc on a stretch that’s verrry imminent to be ripped and rerouted for imminent metro construction.

        So this money goes waste?

        Why I find only 10-20 people working on metro construction site starting from silk board till electronic city. Less man power leads to delay and that leads to cost escalation. Traffic jam because of half done and halted metro construction.

        Reply
      • Rathnakar says:

        Tons of money on bus lanes, bus shelters, bike lanes (never mind if mooted by DULT, ultimately it’s paid by the state/city)

        So this money goes waste?

        Why I find only 10-20 people working on metro construction site starting from silk board till electronic city. Less man power leads to delay and that leads to cost escalation. Traffic jam because of half done and halted metro construction.

        Reply
      • Jeevan says:

        That is just an eyewash. In time news will come that it has been scrapped. That is what some people say.

        Reply
  5. Ashokan R says:

    It appears BMRCL thinks only people living in Electronic city and East of Bangalore city travel to airport. The priority is construction of metro line from Majestic to Hebbal to Airport if the purpose is to connect airport to city. Nobody grudges construction of silk board to Hebbal metro line

    Reply
    • NAVEEN says:

      It would have been ideal to build a line from Carmelaram to Airport via Madiwala, Shantinagar, Hudson circle, Sir Vishweswaraya, BDA & Hebbal instead of extending ORR line. A Carmelaram-Yelahanka line was already proposed by BMRC but seems to have been scrapped.

      Bus & bike corridors on ORR are conical plastic bollards that can be removed & reused anywhere.
      Road exits, mergers, footpaths, kerbsides etc will remain during metro construction on ORR since piers will be coming up on the center median. They will become useful during metro construction as part of road adjacent center median will be barricaded & will help relieve traffic congestion. It might be part of pre-construction.

      Reply
  6. Kumar says:

    It would be good if the airport metro extends upto Devanhalli town, similar to Dwaraka in Delhi, so that it serves larger public interest as well as metro occupancy increases to make it more viable.

    Let authorities give a serious thought to this suggestion.

    Reply
  7. NADANASUNDARAM KOTHANDAN says:

    Sir,
    I am a retired Engineer ( Project )Mech.& Civil.now the metro from silk board to up to Nagwara flyover the BMRCL is planning.
    If they know it’s IT Coridar and the present tragic conjations why can’t the plan the project to design DOUBLE DECKER so that the first Tier carry road for both side nonstop going and where ever needs give drop and climp.
    So that all the IT Companies transport will reach in time. If those companies wanted entry/exit from their premises.
    Once people wanted to go to Manyatha Tech from Silk board with this plan can go / come, staight non stop.
    Only on problem from near the Ring road turning towards K.R.Puram station already the WHITEFIELD Metro is crossing.
    If the metro comes from silk board in Double dealer mero can be joined but for road it’s end there.
    I am doing now in my system in 3Ds Max the proposal .I any body inform me to whom to send the sajuatios.
    Regards
    Nadanam

    Reply
  8. Rajesh says:

    When will be finished kadugudi whitefield metro station to bayappanahalli metro station

    Reply

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