BMTRL to chug along image building tracks

BMTRL to chug along image building tracks
Deccan Herald

To educate the public before the commencement of the Bangalore Metro Rail Project, the Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Limited (BMRTL) is planning to undertake a massive public awareness campaign where ‘Meet the public’ events will be held across the City to allay apprehensions about the project.

Addressing a press conference Managing Director of BMRTL K N Shrivatsava added the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Ramalinga Reddy will hold a meeting with local MLAs on April 25 regarding the same.

Putting an end to the ongoing debate between metro rail and monorail to solve the City’s burgeoning traffic problem, Mr Shrivatsava said the BMRTL is committed to introducing metro rail in association with Delhi-based Rites Limited, “as metro rail is the only effective way of dealing with the huge population of the City”.
Advertisement

“We have considered alternatives including monorail, trams, sky buses and road widening but none of these will work in cities like Delhi and Bangalore. Heavy duty corridors can be dealt with only by metro which has a capacity of 70,000 people against that of 12,000 of monorail during peak hours,” he explained.

The Bangalore Metro Rail will be all set to chug along once it receives formal public approval by the Centre, which is expected around April-end.

The work on the first elevated section of 7 kms between Byapannahalli and Chinnaswamy Stadium has already begun, with the design of the depot at Byapannahalli ready for approval.

The required land has been identified and land requisition is underway. Pre-qualification tenders have also been announced. BMRTL has entered into a tie up with South Korea-based Rotem for the design of chair cars.

The rolling stock will be sourced from Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). The construction work will begin within three months and the first metro service is expected to be launched by mid-2007, said Mr Shrivatsava.

MONO MATTERS

Director of Metrail India Private Limited (the Monorail firm) Rehan Khan has countered the claim made by BMRTL Managing Director K N Shrivatsava that “Heavy duty corridors can be dealt with only by metro which has a capacity of 70,000 people against that of 12,000 of monorail during peak hours.”

Mr Khan said that the capacity of 70,000 passengers is not needed, when the Detailed Project Report of the Metro itself estimates a necessity for a maximum of only 40,000 people after 40 years.