Metro Rail project chugs ahead

Metro Rail project chugs ahead
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The ambitious Bangalore Metro Rail project has gained momentum with the State government having approached the Union Urban Development Ministry with a request for Rs. 1000 crore equity and exemptions on custom duties and Central excise this month. Officials of the State government and the Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Limited (BMRTL) have been invited by the Centre for a conclusive meeting in Delhi on September 30.

BMRTL executive director M.S. Nagendra told this website’s newspaper that a complete brief on the financing options for the project had been prepared and sent to the Centre along with a request for equity participation and duties and excise exemption on the import of goods to the tune of Rs. 660 crore.

The final nod from the Centre is expected to be given by the end of October. BMRTL has planned to begin the ground work by March 2005.

Meanwhile in the city, BMRTL has employed the services of an interim consultant to fine tune the alignment of the metro rail route.

A total of 35 hectares of private and public land for the track alignment in various parts of the city, and a total of about 140 acres for the two terminals have been identified and frozen for acquisition, Nagendra said.

The shifting of utilities like bus stands, electric poles that come in the way of the alignment is being planned and a detailed design for the NGEF-MG Road stretch was also being done, he added.

The metro rail, which is expected to begin functioning by mid-2007, will cover 32 stations including four underground ones in various locations in the city and ferry about 8.2 lakh commuters back and forth each day.

The project was conceived with the objective of providing for the city a fast and reliable means of public transport that would also ease the traffic congestion, overcrowding in buses and reduce pollution.

The cost of laying each kilometre of underground track is estimated to be Rs. 250 crore and that of elevated track is about Rs. 80 crore. The total cost of the project is about Rs. 5,000 crore.