Bengaluru Namma Metro gets 15 times more allocation in Budget this year: Key takeaways

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Friday, tabled the Karnataka Budget 2023-24 with a total outlay of 3.27 lakh crore, which include significant allocations for development projects and welfare schemes.

The Chief Minister, who was presenting his 14 budget as the Finance Minister, announced an allocation of Rs 45,000 crore for various development projects in and around state capital Bengaluru, out of which Rs 30,000 crore was allocated for Bengaluru Namma Metro.

In his opening remarks, Siddaramaiah highlighted Karnataka's balance of development and social justice, stating, "I take pride in saying that if there is any land in the country which has strived for centuries to take forward both development and social justice together, it is Karnataka."

Budget Announcements for development projects

Siddaramaiah made a significant pledge of Rs 30,000 crore towards Bengaluru Namma Metro, the metro system serving the state capital. This allocation significantly exceeds last year's funding, which stood at Rs 2,014 crore. In Budget 2023-24 the allocation for Bengaluru Namma Metro has increased nearly 15 times. This heightened investment signals the government's ongoing commitment to strengthening public transport infrastructure in the bustling IT hub.

Siddaramaiah also outlined a substantial annual allocation of Rs 52,000 crore aimed at fulfilling the Congress party's five poll 'guarantees', promising benefits for 1.3 crore families in the state.

Other notable allocations in Karnataka Budget 2023 include:

An increase in the excise duty on liquor by 20 per cent, which will make alcohol more expensive.
Rs 10,460 crore was earmarked for the budget of the food department.
An impressive Rs 45,000 crore allocated for Bengaluru city development.
Indira Food Canteens, offering meals at subsidized rates of Rs 10, will receive Rs 100 crore.
The Women and Child Development Department has been granted Rs 24,166 crore.
The Gruha Lakshmi scheme, which provides a cash incentive of Rs 2000 per month to eligible women for a year, also receives Rs 24,166 crore.

Bengaluru Namma Metro Expansion

The Bengaluru Metro, popularly known as Namma Metro, has already established an expansive network covering most of the city. Plans are underway to extend it to the city's peripheral areas, aiming to enhance connectivity.

When first inaugurated, the Bengaluru Metro made history as south India's first underground metro system. Its varied infrastructure includes underground, at-grade, and elevated metro stations. The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), a joint venture of the Government of India and the Karnataka government, is tasked with the system's construction, operation, and expansion.

BMRCL plans to increase connectivity by 175 km over the next two years. Under the project’s second and third phases, Bangalore will boast 314 km of Metro connectivity by 2041. The Karnataka government has already given in-principle approval for the Bangalore Metro project phase 3. This upcoming metro line, covering 32.16 km, will be completed at a total cost of Rs 16,368 crore. The project will be funded through central government contributions and loans raised by BMRCL.

"Namma Metro, with a network of around 70 km and used by around 5.7 lakhs commuters daily, is the second-largest metro network in the country" said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah while presenting the state budget in the Assembly.  

Siddaramaiah added that the metro coverage will soon be expanded from Baiyyappanahalli to Krishnarajapura, Kengeri to Challaghatta, Nagasandra to Madawara, R.V. Road to Bommasandra.

The chief minister stated that by 2024, a total of 27 km of new lines will be added with the network expanding from 70 km to 176 km. "The ongoing work of the airport metro line will be expedited and it will be operationalized by 2026," he added.