Hesaraghatta, Jaraganahalli on Namma Metro map

 BANGALORE: Namma Metro will be catering to areas farther than it was originally slated to.

The state cabinet on Tuesday approved the extension of the North-South Metro corridor up to Hesaraghatta Road in the North and Jaraganahalli in the South under the Phase I of the project.
 
The government was forced to resort to the extension of the 14.9-km North-South corridor between Yeshwantpur and Jayanagar South-End Circle, following heavy traffic congestion on Tumkur Road linking the city to Peenya and Hesaraghatta Road.

Tuesday's Cabinet approval also provides Metro connectivity to J P Nagar and Banashankari by stretching the North-South corridor up to Jaraganahalli.
 
The extension would add another 5.6 km distance to the Metro network and call for an additional investment of Rs 1,592 crore.

The cabinet also decided to provide Metro connectivity between IT hubs Electronic City and Whitefield under Phase II of the project.

"This will cost another Rs 6,395 crore," home minister V S Acharya told mediapersons after the cabinet meeting.
 
The full Phase I network of Namma Metro is expected to be commissioned by December 2011.

The government will amend the Karnataka Parks (Preservation) Act to provide land for the construction of Cubbon Park and Lalbagh Metro stations.