Namma Metro chugs along the slow track

Namma Metro chugs along the slow track
By S Praveen Dhaneshkar,DHNS,Bangalore:

Namma Metro seems to have hit a roadblock. The multi-crore project that should have made considerable headway by now, is dragging along at snail’s pace. Worse, there has been virtually no progress on the project on Reach 1 (M G Road to Byappanahalli).
It has been more than three months since the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) announced the digging up of the promenade, on Bangalore’s showpiece MG Road, to facilitate the laying of piers and girders for the project. However, hardly any progress is visible on the ground, apart from trees being relocated into the F M Manekshaw Parade Ground. BMRC officials recently met those who have lost their lands in groups to elicit views from property owners and tenants on the recommendations of the P S S Thomas Land Committee report. BMRC even announced the appointment of general consultants to oversee the functioning of the project.
Meanwhile, denying any delay in the progress of the project, V Madhu, Managing Director, BMRC, told Deccan Herald that with infrastructure projects of the magnitude of Metro, though time-bound, it was impossible to show daily progress. “At present, the survey of buildings and property condition is over. Structural valuation of these buildings would be completed in a month’s time. The progress is linked to every move made in its development. There is absolutely no delay. We would also be opening the financial bids of mono-rail consultants on July 11. The technical bids have already been submitted to the government. Global tenders take a lot of time as bids have to be thoroughly evaluated,” Mr Madhu said.
He added that three rigs (two on MG Road and one on Old Madras Road) to test the depth and rock texture are also in its final stages. “This is a 27-month project. At present, we are concentrating on the completion of the land acquisition process,” he added.