Namma Metro's troubled course irks Sreedharan

Namma Metro's troubled course irks Sreedharan
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Metro man E Sreedharan on Friday confirmed the worst fears of Bangaloreans that Namma Metro was running into hurdles right from its inception...


The CMD, Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC), who played a major role in conceiving Namma Metro, said that the progress of the project was delayed at the initial stages itself.

Acquisition of land was the major problem. Even to cut trees the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) has to take government’s permission, he pointed out during the course of a chat with mediapersons here.

“I hope the BMRC will be able to meet the deadline,” he said.

Unfortunate transfer

Sreedharan termed the recent transfer of BMRC Managing Director V Madhu as “very unfortunate”.
The State government recently shifted Madhu from BMRC to the Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation.

“I don’t want to comment on the issue, but it is a rather unfortunate and unhappy trend. The State government should not make changes as and when new people come to power. However, the government must have had its compulsions to take such a decision,” he said.

Train to Devanahalli

Sreedharan, who is also the project consultant for the proposed high speed rail linking the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) with the City centre, also revealed that if all goes well, Bangaloreans headed for the airport could make it to their destination for a paltry Rs 150 per head.

“We have suggested Rs 150 per ticket from the City centre to BIA. However, considering the present conditions, it can be increased a little bit. Passengers have been spending more than Rs 400 on taxi against which travelling by high speed rail will work out cheaper,” he said.

The expression of interest for the project will be invited by the end of this month and bidders will be finalised in eight months, Sreedharan said, adding that the actual work on the ground requires close to three years.

The total cost of the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) project is around Rs 3,500 crore. The State government may not have to spend money for the project.