Work on metro rail to begin in December

Work on metro rail to begin in December

The Hindu

Traffic management plan being prepared to ensure least disturbance to public

# Work on project was scheduled to begin in November
# Government to take a decision on acquiring 25 acres of land
# Bangalore Metro to have 150 km network by 2010
# No opposition to project from Deve Gowda

BANGALORE: K.N. Srivastava, Managing Director of Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Limited (BMRTL), said on Tuesday that work on the Rs. 6,200-crore Metro rail project will start by Mid-December, not in November as announced earlier.

Making a presentation on the project for members of Rotary Bangalore Orchards here, Mr. Srivastava said there commencement of work would be delayed. However, he did not give any reason for that.

After Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh went on a ride in Delhi's metro rail in September, it was announced that the work on Bangalore Metro rail will commence on November 1, the Rajyotsava Day.

Mr. Srivastava said the work will be completed on schedule. The Karnataka Government will take a decision on the objections raised to the proposed acquisition of over 25 acres of private land in a week's time.

He said second and third phase of the project will start in about two years time and by 2010, the traffic woes of Bangaloreans would be "substantially addressed". By that time, Bangalore Metro will have a total of 150 km network.

Mr. Srivastava assured that there would be less traffic disturbance while building the network. A traffic management plan is under preparation to ensure least disturbance to public. He said the Bangalore metro would be able to offer the services for Rs. 6 to Rs. 13 in 2010. "By that time, even the bus fares will be much more," he claimed.

He said there is no opposition to the project from the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. He pointed out that Mr. Gowda was the one who sanctioned Delhi Metro project when he was Prime Minister.

He said Prime Minster Manmohan Singh had taken interest in the Bangalore metro project. It is because of his intervention that the budget made a mention of the project. He said he had made an impromptu presentation on the project to Mr. Singh when he visited the city.