Bengaluru: The Namma Metro link to Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL) is on track to be completed by June 2026, as the first metro pier has been erected inside the airport premises. The airport line, which is part of the Phase 2B project, will connect the city with the airport through 17 stations, covering a distance of 37 km.
The airport line is an extension of the Blue Line, which starts from Kasturinagara and passes through KR Puram, Nagawara, Hebbal, Yelahanka, and other areas before reaching the airport terminals. The line will have both elevated and underground sections, with only 900 metres being built underground, most of it inside the airport terminal.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has awarded the contracts for the construction of the airport line to three firms in November 2021. The civil work for the line is expected to be completed by 2024, and the trial runs will begin in 2025. The line will be operational by June 2026, as per the BMRCL’s deadline.
The airport line is being funded by a combination of loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as well as contributions from the state and central governments, and private sources. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 9,616.51 crore.
The airport line is expected to provide a fast, convenient, and eco-friendly mode of transport for the passengers and employees of the airport, as well as the residents of the northern suburbs of Bengaluru. The line will also reduce the traffic congestion on the roads leading to the airport, and improve the connectivity of the city with the surrounding regions.
