Tejasvi Surya slams Bengaluru Metro extension plan to Tumakuru, calls it ‘stupid idea’

Tejasvi Surya opposes extending Namma Metro to Tumakuru, urging focus on Bengaluru's intra-city network instead.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has strongly opposed the proposal to extend the Namma Metro to Tumakuru, arguing that the state government should instead prioritise strengthening Bengaluru’s intra-city metro network.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya. (PTI)

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Taking to X , Surya said, “Karnataka Govt’s idea to extend metro to Tumkur is a stupid idea. They should instead focus on early completion of pending lines and further densification of network inside Bengaluru. Metro is to solve intra city connectivity. Tumkur should be connected with RRTS or even suburban rail.”

His comments came shortly after the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) submitted a feasibility report to the state government for a proposed Green Line extension from Madavara to Tumakuru. If approved, the 59.60-km corridor would be Namma Metro’s first-ever intercity line.

Prepared by Hyderabad-based Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers & Consultants Pvt. Ltd., the report examines both the technical and financial aspects of the proposal. The consultancy, awarded the contract on June 29, 2024, for ₹1.25 crore, studied the potential of building the corridor along the Tumakuru Road stretch under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

The proposed metro extension would feature 26 stations and connect several key localities, including Makali, Dasanapura, Nelamangala, Nelamangala Tollgate, T. Begur, Thippagondanahalli, Sompura Industrial Area, Dobbspet, Hirehalli Industrial Area, Kyatsandra, Tumakuru Bus Stand, TUDA Layout, and Nagannanapalya.

The move to explore metro connectivity to Tumakuru follows persistent demands from local residents and political leaders, including Karnataka Home Minister and Koratagere MLA G. Parameshwara. Supporters argue that with Tumakuru growing rapidly as a satellite city, improved transport links to Bengaluru are crucial.

Located about 70 km northwest of the state capital, Tumakuru sees thousands of daily commuters who rely heavily on buses and suburban trains. The metro proposal, if greenlit, could significantly ease travel times and provide an alternative to existing modes of transport.

However, critics like Surya believe the metro’s primary objective is to improve intra-city mobility and warn that shifting focus to intercity corridors might delay key infrastructure within Bengaluru. Instead, he advocates for using Rapid Rail Transit Systems (RRTS) or upgrading the suburban railway network to meet Tumakuru’s needs.