Metro work on MG Road picks up speed

Metro work on MG Road picks up speed
R Krishnakumar | TNN

Bangalore: Namma Metro is set to pick up pace on its first reach next week, with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) Limited installing piers on MG Road. Work on the road is back in action mode, with skeletal structures being erected for the piers. BMRC managing director V Madhu told Sunday Times Of India that minor “design issues’’ had led to a short delay in the installation schedule.
BMRC has almost completed the foundation work on the MG Road stretch of the Metro’s Reach 1 (Chinnaswamy stadium to Byappanahalli). There was a minor hurdle in the area close to Vijaya Bank — over water sources being affected because of the construction — that has been sorted out. “These are minor hitches that are quite normal for a project like the Metro. Apprehensions over the pace of work are being raised only because it’s happening right in the middle of of the busy MG Road,’’ Madhu said. The piers are set to be erected on the stretch close to the stadium and in the next 10 days, will come up on parts of the road close to Mayo Hall as well. Madhu reiterated that the December deadline for completion of work on MG Road will be met. The installation of piers will be followed by the launching of girders on the pillars. The girders on MG Road will be launched in the next three to four months. Fabrication of the girders and concrete segments is on at the casting yard.
Madhu said issuance of compensation packages will gather momentum by July, after the government officials concerned return from election duty. BMRC is expected to award almost 90% of its civil works by the beginning of June.
10 bidders for tunnelling work
BMRC has received responses from groups, including global players, for its pre-qualification tenders on Namma Metro’s underground tunnelling work. Ten consortia/joint ventures have pitched for the contract. The contract will be awarded to one of the 10 in November. The bidders are:
FCC-Gammon Consortium, Mumbai CEC-CICI-Soma joint venture, Gurgaon BSCPL-SCL-CR 18 G JV, Hyderabad KMB-SSJV JV, Bangalore HCC-SELI JV, Mumbai Patel-SOMAT VBN JV, Mumbai ITD-ITD cementation consortium, Mumbai
Samsung E&C corporation, Korea-SECI JV, New Delhi
STEC-AFCONS JV, Mumbai
STRABAG AG-L&T (ECC division) JV, New Delhi