Bengaluru Metro Double-Decker Road Plan Fails IISc Test: Report

Bengaluru's proposed double-decker road integrated with Namma Metro Phase 3 has come under fresh scrutiny after an Indian Institute of Science (IISc) report, accessed by NDTV, questioned the project's economic viability and warned that it could undermine the very purpose of investing in mass public transport.

The technical report, prepared by Prof. Ashish Verma of IISc, estimates the Economic Internal Rate of Return (EIRR) for Phase 3 at just 9.07 per cent when the double-decker road component is included, well below the accepted benchmark of 14 per cent.

However, the report notes that if the elevated road component is excluded, the EIRR rises sharply to 18 per cent, indicating that the Metro project performs significantly better as a standalone public transport investment.

The findings contrast with the government's earlier assessment, which estimated the double-decker project would achieve an EIRR of 16.5 per cent.

According to the report, integrating an elevated road with Metro infrastructure not only results in lower economic returns but also risks undermining the core objective of Metro investments by encouraging private vehicle use instead of prioritising high-capacity public transport.

The findings are likely to intensify the debate over Bengaluru's transport planning, with urban mobility experts and citizen groups questioning whether the double-decker model offers value for public money or compromises the long-term goals of sustainable urban mobility.