Grave problems dog Metro Rail

Grave problems dog Metro Rail
VIJAY TIMES NEWS

Bangalore: The demand of CMH Road traders and residents urging for the realignment of Metro Rail to Old Madras Road (OMR) may not be met, with a 10acre tri-community graveyard proving to be a stumbling block.

This has prompted Imtiaz Ahmed, CMH Shops Association (CMHSEA) president, to react: "It appears the sentiments over the dead is taking priority over the sentiments for those alive.

The recent hearings by the Expert Review Committee headed by Justice Shivashankar Bhat on realignment received reports from the graveyard officials and relatives of those buried there stating that sentiments of people would be hurt if a part of the graveyard is acquired for road widening for the Old Madras Road realigned Metro Rail.

The realignment to OMR proposed to acquire 4,000 sq ft area along the length of the graveyard perimetre boundary facing OMR for road-widening to accommodate the shoulders of the Metro track.

Sources said the graveyard factor has influenced experts committee to submit a report to the State government indicating the original alignment over CMH Road would remain, but with modifications pertaining to having just one Metro station instead of the planned two on CMH Road.

The proposed lone station on CMH Road would be on a private vacant land on one side and a civic amenities site on the other , sources said.

CMHSEA members cited an example in which a Muslim organisation had entered into an agreement with the Bangalore City Corporation to hand over a part of its graveyard land for the construction of a flyover on Mysore Road. Ahmed says the graveyard in question between OMR and CMH Road is owned by the BCC, and the problem should have been sorted out faster than the Mysore Road case.