Metro chugs along...

Metro chugs along...
Three new alignments have been added. The Bangalore metro rail is on track.
The Times of India


Talk about the metro rail and every Bangalorean's first question is, "when will we get the first ride?" And the answer is December 2009, as things stand. It may not be wrong to say that the Rs 6,400 crore mega project is cautiously chugging on after being put on track by the government. With three new alignments worked out - Trinity Circle to Silk Board Junction, K R Puram to Electronic City and Yelahanka to Majestic, the project assumes all the more importance with the estimated one million people to benefit from it.
Speaking on the project, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) Managing Director, V Madhu says, "we have started the work on the project and it is being carried out briskly. By December we will be through with shifting of utilities for Reach One i.e. between M G Road (Chinnaswamy Stadium) and Byappanahalli. And as far as land acquisition is concerned we are in possession of two-thirds of the land and by the end of the year we should be able to take over completely. The designs are ready and we have issued letters to the contractors to start work".
Over-coming hurdles
The BMRC has received 1,400 objections against the land acquisition and the project. The authority has responded to all of them. The issues are pending discussions with the land acquisition officer of the project. Traders on MKK Road and CMH Road have formed associations to protest against the move. It may be recalled here that Chief Minister H D Kumarswamy met them September 7 and heard both the BMRC officials and traders. He is scheduled to visit the traders on both these roads in the coming week to hold discussions. In the meanwhile the BMRC board has approved two rehabilitation packages. One that compensates the hardships (business losses and cost of shifting) and award of compensation for properties lost partially or completely. The MD said that the BMRC is expecting the Thomas Committee report on award of compensation. As a broad guide, the compensation for vacant land will be awarded on par with the market value which is 1.4 times more than guidance value while structures demolished will be compensated on the lines of PWD norms. Inconvenience allowance, shifting allowance, 10 months' rent advance awarding TDR and FAR are some of the rehabilitation packages worked out in the first category.
In total, around 642 properties will be acquired and around 1,500 families would be relocated. In cases where the damage is more than 50 percent, to compensate them the BMRC has moved the government to seek support from the BDA.
Currently, the BMRC has blocked 150 commercial outlets and has requested the state to facilitate allotment of BDA sites on priority.
"In Indiranagar we have identified a massive government building, which is dilapidated. We asked the government to allot it to us. We intend set up a massive shopping complex there and relocate CMH Road traders there. As far I see there is only one hurdle that is slowing the project down and that is objections", says Madhu. Vistas for development
Going by the proposal of the BMRC, the city may soon see a new skyline. A report presented to the government by the team, which visited several countries to study the impact of mass transport, suggests an increase in the FAR rules. Currently, the peak hour peak direction trip (PHPDT) recorded a maximum of 23,000. When the metro rail happens, this would increase to 70,000. This being the figure, the city can go for skyscrapers as in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Bangkok. The report states that commercial roads coming in the corridors can be exploited for new businesses. If the government goes by the suggestions, soon the city will have skyscrapers that will dwarf the Public Utility Building.
As far as the 33 metro stations are concerned, the authority is planning shopping malls, banks and ATMs, and other utilities and commercial activities wherever land is available. The avenues are plenty, the economics involved is huge.