Govt inaction may derail Metro schedule

Govt inaction may derail Metro schedule
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Even while Bangaloreans are eagerly awaiting Friday’s Project Investment Board (PIB) meeting at New Delhi, which is to clear the Bangalore Metro, it may be the State Government which is likely to derail the project schedule.

Though Chief Minister Dharam Singh and his ministers have publicly vouched for the mass rapid transit project, the same Government is yet to give its nod for the land acquisition process, the first step towards implementing it.

The Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Limited (BMRTL), the nodal agency for implementing the project has entrusted the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) with the acquisition of land.

But the KIADB is still awaiting the Government nod to start the process, sources informthis website’s newspaper.

After the receipt of approval, the KIADB has to issue a gazette notification to allot one month for filing objections, if any. The land acquisition cost is pegged at Rs 600 crore of which the BMRTL has already paid Rs 20 crore to the Board.

“Land acquisition is the most sensitive part of the project implementation and with people in several parts of the City opposing the project, it may even face litigations,” sources remark.

Delay in acquisition of land will not just affect the project schedule, it will also result in cost escalation, they pointed out.

CMH Road merchants and Indiranagar residents, led by former MLA and BJP leader Pramila Nesargi, are up in arms against the Metro, while former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had written to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister expressing concern over likely demolitions that would affect the public.

The project requires a total of 202 acres of land, of which it has already acquired 102 acres of defence land. It will also get a few more acres of government land without much difficulty. But, the problem vests with the private lands, where buildings have to be demolished.

“Of the total 4,80,000 square meters of land required, 2,60,000 square meters land is built up area, with 750 properties belonging to the Government and private parties,” sources reveal.

Partly underground, partly elevated and partly surface, the Metro Rail will have two corridors — North-South, connecting Peenya with JP Nagar and East-West, which links Byappanhalli with Magadi Road. The two corridors will intersect at Majestic, where the Metro will have its main station.