Metro rail extensions add to rising cost

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Metro project has become costlier. Here are some of the reasons:
With the current cost being Rs 8,100 for 43.2-km network, the average cost per km works out at Rs 191 crore. However, the elevated and underground rail costs differ. The 36.2-km elevated rail's cost is Rs 170 crore/km while the 7-km underground stretch cost has been put at Rs 360 crore/km.
"We are expecting a minimum 20% increase in these prices, as of now.In another 10 days, the process of re-estimation should be complete and the latest figures will be submitted to the bank,'' BMRC director (project and planning) B S Sudhir Chandra said.
Underground rail
Though the groundwork like road diversion for the underground rail network will start next month, the actual tunneling work will happen only after one year. The tunnel-boring machines, being manufactured in Germany, will arrive after 12 months. By then, work on the stations will be in progress.
Extensions cost more
The North-South corridor which originally was 14.9 km got extended to 24.2 km at an additional cost of Rs 1,763. The extensions - Yeshwantpur to Hesarghatta Cross on the northern corridor, covering a distance of 5.6 km, with six elevated stations at a cost of Rs 1,082 crore; RV Road terminal to Puttenahalli Cross on the southern corridor covering a distance of 3.7 km, with three elevated stations at a cost of Rs 681 crore.