Bangalore Metro work to chug along from June

CENTRE TO WAVE THE GREEN FLAG BY THIS MONTH-END

Bangalore Metro work to chug along from June
Deccan Herald

Civil works on the much-awaited Bangalore Metro Rail Project will commence in June this year with the State Cabinet giving the green signal for the Rs 6,207-crore project on Thursday, reports DHNS, Bangalore. The Centre is expected to provide remaining two clearances to the project by this month-end.

Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Limited (BMRTL) Managing Director K N Srivastava told reporters after the Cabinet meeting that the first train under the project would run from October 2008, though the completion of all works under the first phase covering a stretch of 33 km would take five years from now.

Sources said money was not a problem for the commencement of the project. Already the BMRTL had Rs 220 crore collected through infrastructure cess. The Union Government had made a budgetary allocation for the project while the State was expected to make its financial commitment in the coming Budget. Besides, four banks had assured a loan of Rs 700 crore and sent letters in this regard. The remaining amount of about Rs 2,300 crore was also likely to be firmed up as loans by this month-end, sources added.

The preliminary works on the project like land acquisition and shortlisting of contractors would start in a couple of days pending Central clearance, Mr Srivastava said. There was no problem with land acquisition as most of the land was with the Defence and the State government.

While 102 acres of land was with the Defence and 55 acres with the government, only 45 acres was private land. Besides, there were about 800 structures which had to be removed, he said.

The Ministry of Defence had agreed to part with the land following consultations with the State Government and the Ministry. He would also hold a meeting with Defence officials on Friday in this regard. Similarly, he had held discussions with almost all the owners of private land sites, who had agreed to give their land against good compensation. The project cost had escalated by about Rs 240 crore due to the increase in land prices, he said.

Meanwhile, the survey for the second and third phases of the project would also commence in about a week and be completed in 10 months, Mr Srivastava said. The project was yet to get clearances from the Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs (CCEA) and the Project Investment Board (PIB) of the Centre. The CCEA was taking up the matter on March 20 in New Delhi, he said.

The 33-km stretch, under the first phase, would crisscross north-south and east-west parts of the City, he said. Underground track facility would be provided near Majestic area.

The north-south track would pass through Yeshwanthpur, Rajajinagar, Majestic, Chickpet, City market and R V Road. The east-west track would pass through the Ring Road, Vijayanagar, Majestic, Vidhana Soudha, M G Road, CMH Road, Byappanahalli.

The BMRTL would be converted into a joint venture company after the commencement of the project, Mr Srivastava added.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Information Minister B Shivaram said while the State Government would contribute Rs 1,807 crore for the project, the Centre’s contribution would be around Rs 1,447 crore. The remaining Rs 2,953 crore would be raised through financial institutions.

He said the Cabinet had asked the BMRTL to take up the preliminary work like planning, shifting of utilities, design, land acquisition, identification and short-listing of vendors and contractors pending final clearance by the Centre.