latest Update: Namma Metro Phase 3 to Cut 11,000 Trees, Public Hearing Called
The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) faces backlash over its Phase-3 expansion plans, which threaten to cut down over 11,000 trees.
The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) or Namma metro has upset many people and environmental groups by revealing that over 11,000 trees may be cut down for its upcoming Phase‑3 metro expansion. To address growing concerns, BMRCL has planned a public meeting on July 21, 2025. This meeting is meant to hear people’s opinions and possibly ease the anger—bringing both hope and frustration across the city.
As per the Detailed Project Report (DPR), around 11,137 trees could be impacted by the 44.6 km-long Phase-3 metro project. However, BMRCL has clarified that this number includes both trees that might be cut down and those that could be transplanted, depending on the results of upcoming feasibility studies and technical evaluations.
Phase 3, also known as the Orange Line, will be a fully elevated corridor extending the metro network to the western side of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and the outlying areas along Magadi Road. Scheduled for completion by 2029, the line is expected to serve approximately 7.85 lakh passengers daily, expanding Bengaluru’s metro network to a total length of 222.2 km.
Although Namma metro Phase 3 has secured all necessary approvals, including a nod from the Union Cabinet in August this year, its construction has hit a delay. The reason? Revised plans now aim to build double-decker flyovers—combining metro and road infrastructure—along the route, adding complexity to the project and pushing back timelines.
The proposed double-decker flyover, estimated to cost ₹120 crore per kilometre—amounting to around ₹5,358 crore for the 44.65 km stretch—is expected to be funded by either the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) or the state government. While the plan has received in-principle approval, it is still awaiting final clearance from the state cabinet.
The expansion will require land acquisition impacting 777 private properties and many public trees, plus the construction of double-decker flyovers to protect existing infrastructures.
The complexity of this massive infrastructure project highlights the challenge of balancing urban transit needs against environmental conservation.
BMRCL insists the July 21 session—held under the aegis of the BBMP’s tree officer—allows residents to voice objections, suggest alternate alignments, or advocate for enhanced tree-translocation strategies. This outreach ostensibly aligns with past reductions; e.g., at All Saints’ Church, Metro engineers revised designs to preserve 29 trees, cutting down only 16 instead of 45
Yet critics argue it could merely be political posturing. Dattatraya Devare from Bangalore Environment Trust warns BMRCL “should conduct environmental impact assessments and make the document public” before finalizing alignment decisions.
Phase‑3 Blueprint & Broader Challenges
Phase-3 of the Namma Metro will have two main routes: the Orange Line (from Kempapura to JP Nagar) and the Red Line (from JP Nagar to Hebbal via Sarjapur). Together, these routes will add about 44 to 73 km of new metro tracks. The project is expected to be finished by 2029 or 2030, with funding coming from the Japanese agency JICA and the Indian government, costing around ₹15,600 crore.
Can Bengaluru Grow Without Losing Its Green Cover?
The future of Bengaluru’s Namma metro Phase-3 depends on how the public responds and how the authorities handle the situation. It could either become a success story in sustainable development or a lesson in poor environmental planning. Many are hoping for changes in the design—like reducing the number of trees cut, planting more trees in return, and involving the public more actively.
This is about more than just building new transport. It’s a moment for the city to think about its values. Can Bengaluru improve public transport without destroying its greenery? Will the new metro lines move people forward—or push nature further back? The answer could shape the city’s future and its environment for years to come.
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