The Rs 3,600 crore line has now been included in the second phase of the metro rail project and is scheduled to be completed in two years. (Representative image)

All the Bengaluru techies, here is some good news for you. You will no longer have to waste your time stuck in traffic. Wondering why? The Karnataka government has decided to decongest Bengaluru’s IT corridor by fast-tracking the 18-km long metro rail line that connects Central Silk Board Junction with K R Puram. According to a report, the Rs 3,600 crore line has now been included in the second phase of the metro rail project and is scheduled to be completed in two years. The new line, which will henceforth be referred to as Outer Ring Road Metro (ORR Metro), will have a total of 13 stations and will link vantage points such as HSR Layout, Bellandur, Kadubeesanahalli, Marathalli, Doddanekundi and Mahadevapura.

“About 10 lakh people from the IT/BT industry travel between Central Silk Board and K R Puram every day and the biggest problem they face is traffic jams. They have been spending more time inside their vehicles because of the traffic snarls.” After brainstorming with the IT/ITeS and biotechnology sector honchos and traffic experts, the government worked out several decongestion plans; the most important of this being a metro rail line,” CM Siddaramaiah said after reviewing the projects being executed by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

“We have realized that the metro line between Central Silk Board and K R Puram is important to reduce to vehicular density on the road. Moreover, it will be economical in the long run,” he further added. The BMRCL authorities have been ordered to submit a detailed project report on the metro rail line by October 20 by the CM.

When asked about the funds for this project, he said, BMRCL is working on several innovative financing techniques to get the project started.