Chikkajala station will replace Bettahalasur station on Metro's Airport line

Bengaluru: In response to requests from the residents, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) cancelled the proposed Bettahalasur Metro station from its Airport Line to add a new Metro station at Chikkajala.

According to a source from the metro, the Embassy Group only developed the Bettahalasur Metro Station (between Doddajala and Bagalur Cross) because it wanted residents of the vast Embassy Boulevard complex nearby to have access to the metro. "They and BMRCL had signed a memorandum of understanding in April 2020 to provide roughly Rs 140 crore for the station's construction," he added.

As part of the PPP model, BMRCL was supposed to handle the construction while Embassy Group provided the funding. As a result, Embassy did not contribute any funds and recently explained that internal problems prevented them from doing so. As a result, even though the BMRCL's alignment travels through this area and piers have been constructed on either side of the station, we are compelled to cancel it," the official added.

Anjum Parwez, the managing director of BMRCL, said, "After the State and the Center have accepted the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the High Powered Committee (HPC) must approve any station additions or deletions. We'll be moving towards that."

The MD declared that the Chikkajala Metro station had received HPC approval. A new Metro station at Jakkur Plantation is required, but it is unlikely to be built, according to another Metro official.

"Real estate developers Century Group and Bagmane Group initially intended to work together on it, but Bagmane eventually stepped forward on its own.

However, given that the proposed Bagmane project and the current Metro alignment are at opposite ends of the road, it seems doubtful that the station will be built.

Between the two is a flyover of the Indian National Highway," he said. "Their approval is necessary for the construction of a connecting bridge, and accomplishing so would be challenging whether it were elevated or underground. This is not likely to occur, " he added.