Change in metro alignment ruled out

Change in metro alignment ruled out

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The State Government has said that it is not practicable at this stage to shift the proposed alignment of the Bangalore Metro from the Chinmaya Mission Hospital Road to Old Madras Road in Indiranagar.

The Government made these submissions in the statement of objections it has filed before the Karnataka High Court on Monday to a petition by the traders and residents of Chinmaya Mission Hospital Road seeking to stay further proceedings by the Government in taking up the metro project.

The CMH Shops and Establishments and Residents Association, Indiranagar, and others had moved the court, seeking a change in the alignment of the metro from CMH Road to Old Madras Road.

Senior counsel Pramila Nesargi, who is appearing for the association and two other petitioners, K. V. Ramakrishna and N. Suresh Kumar, said they had given a representation in August 2006 to the Chief Minister pointing out the defects in the project as enumerated by the Justice K. Shivashankar Bhat Commission which had gone into the issue.

The petitioners said on November 15, the State Government had issued a notification asking the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. to proceed with the work saying that there would not be any change in the alignment.

They said that the metro station could be shifted to the BDA Complex on Old Madras Road instead of the present location at the Arya Samaj on CMH Road.

Dismissing their claims, the State Government said it had decided to locate the metro station on CMH Road and that the availability of the BDA Complex was not a factor to be considered as it was away from the current alignment.

It disputed as imaginary and highly exaggerated the number of residents, shops, banks and other establishments on CMH Road that would be affected by the project.

It said the Delhi Metro had carried out a detailed technical study before the alignment was arrived at.

It said that there was high density of population on CMH Road than on Old Madras Road.

Besides, CMH Road was closer to residential areas in Indiranagar rather than Old Madras Road.