A proposal to extend the Bengaluru Metro to Tamil Nadu’s industrial town of Hosur has kicked up a storm in Karnataka, with several Kannada groups up in arms against it. The groups apprehend that the metro link may lead to greater migration from Tamil Nadu into Bengaluru and put additional strain on resources in Karnataka’s capital. The Chennai Metro Rail Limited is going to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed interstate metro to connect Bommasandra in Karnataka with Hosur through a first-of-its-kind interstate metro in southern India, covering 23 kilometres that will have 12 metro stations along the route.
Opposition from Kannada Groups
Local Kannada groups, under the patronage of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, have opposed this metro link on the grounds that this will increase Bengaluru’s workforce. Narayan Gowda, president of the group, cited the already high migration of people from Tamil Nadu to Bengaluru and said the metro connection would increase it. “It will be easier for more people to migrate and make life difficult for Kannadigas once the Namma Metro is linked to Tamil Nadu,” he said, adding that they have brought the issue to the notice of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Karnataka’s Economic Concerns
While Tamil Nadu has given its nod for the study, the government in Karnataka is yet to take a call on the project and has only given its in-principle approval for a pre-feasibility study to be conducted by Tamil Nadu. The state is cagey about sharing the cost of extending the metro, especially since Karnataka has been losing investments to Hosur, a major manufacturing hub located just across the border. That the likes of Ola, headquartered in Bengaluru, have decided to set up their manufacturing units at Hosur and Krishnagiri does raise questions on the economic rivalry between the two. Pro-Kannada activists have thus held that Karnataka should attract more investments and jobs rather than facilitate better connectivity with Tamil Nadu.
Call for Clarity from the Government
The opposition leaders in Karnataka have meanwhile asked the government to take a clear stand on the project. Suggesting that metro expansion within Bengaluru, particularly in densely congested areas like the outer ring road, needed to be addressed first, BJP general secretary Nandiesha Reddy said: “Why this interstate extension?”
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Hosur’s Development and Its Impact
Matters have only been complicated further by the Tamil Nadu announcement of its intention to build an airport at Hosur. When it becomes a reality, the new airport will siphon off passengers from southern Bengaluru, mainly from the IT capital Electronic City that is only 35 kilometres away from Hosur. This has also heightened concerns in Karnataka about the economic implications of Hosur emerging as infrastructure facility.
The ruling Congress government in Karnataka on Tuesday promised Kannadiga welfare as its ultimate priority. Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said, “We will do everything to protect the interest of Kannadigas and Bengaluru. We will look at the metro extension issue once the feasibility report is ready.”.
While the Bengaluru Metro’s yellow line-which is supposed to connect Bommasandra with RV Road-is scheduled to be commissioned by December 2024, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited has recently engaged Aarvee Associates to prepare a feasibility study for extending this line from Bommasandra to Attibele-the city near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
Conclusion
The extension of the Bengaluru Metro to Hosur also reflects the complex tango between regional politics, economic competition, and infrastructural development. While the project has held the promise of enhanced connectivity, it has also stirred a hornet’s nest of debate over migration, investment, and long-term interests for Karnataka.
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