Chennai Metro Rail Corporation (CMRL) has begun the work of preparing the tender document seeking a consultant to conduct the feasibility study for South India’s first inter-state metro connectivity from Bommasandra in Bengaluru to the industrial hub of Hosur in Tamil Nadu. 

The development comes following approval by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to CMRL’s proposal seeking its nod to study the feasibility of building a metro link between Bengaluru and Hosur. 

“The Union Government has given its approval for the study,” a top government source told DH.

DH had on February 16 reported that CMRL had written to MoHUA seeking its nod for a feasibility study for a metro rail link from Bommasandra to Hosur. The plan is to build a new metro link from Bommasandra station to Hosur, which is home to top business houses like Ashok Leyland, Titan, and TVS Motors. If the project is realised, the Bengaluru-Hosur metro link will mark the first inter-state metro in South India. 

With necessary approvals by its side, the CMRL has begun the work of preparing the tender document for the study by a consultant. “We will soon float the tender as the Tamil Nadu government has already sanctioned Rs 75 lakh for the study. We are starting the work of preparing the tender document for consultancy study. The study will begin once the tender is awarded after following the due process,” the source added.

The proposed stretch will be 20.5 km long of which 11.7 kilometres falls in Karnataka, while the remaining 8.8 km is in Tamil Nadu, which will fund the feasibility study. Tamil Nadu government believes metro connectivity between Hosur and Bengaluru will further fuel the growth of the industrial town, which is home to over 2,000 MSMEs. 

While the feasibility study will be funded 100 per cent by the Tamil Nadu government, the funding pattern of the Metro network is yet to be decided. However, it is likely that Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will bear the expenses for the length of the project in their states along with the MoHUA. 

The Karnataka Government had in 2022 written to MoHUA giving its concurrence for the project which will help thousands of people to travel between Hosur and Bengaluru without much hassle. 

Following this, the Tamil Nadu government asked CMRL to carry out the feasibility study by sanctioning Rs 75 lakh for the purpose. The plan is to build a new line from the existing Bommasandra metro station to Hosur.

The feasibility study comes at a time the Tamil Nadu government is mulling launching air connectivity from Hosur.