Direct metro link between Bengaluru and Hosur technically not feasible: BMRCL

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu's plan to build south India’s first interstate metro link between Bengaluru and Hosur is facing uncertainty as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has said that a direct link is not technically feasible, according to a report in Deccan Herald.

The proposed project sought to connect Bommasandra in Bengaluru to Hosur in Tamil Nadu, aiming to improve industrial and commuter connectivity between the two regions.

However, a BMRCL official said the power traction systems (electrical power systems) used by the two networks are incompatible. Bengaluru’s metro runs on a 750 V DC third-rail system, while the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) proposed using a 25kV AC overhead traction. This fundamental difference would make it difficult for trains to run seamlessly across both networks. In addition, critics in Karnataka have argued that a direct link would primarily benefit Hosur and further burden Bengaluru.

Ending the metro line at Attibele, the last major town before the Tamil Nadu border, is a more feasible option, the official suggested. If Tamil Nadu moves forward with a metro extension up to the Karnataka border, about 12 km from Hosur, Attibele could have two stations located around 300 metres apart. “The stations can be connected by a foot overbridge," he told DH.

The Bommasandra-Attibele line forms part of Phase 4 of Namma Metro, which currently has four proposed extensions under feasibility review. Three additional extensions and one new line are also being considered.

Altogether, these seven projects would add 210.9 km to Namma Metro’s network, taking its total planned length to 467.69 km, which is almost equal to the 467 km planned for the Delhi-NCR metro.