IN THE FAST LANE

IN THE FAST LANE
The BMRC is going full throttle to finish Reach 1 of Namma Metro by the Dec 2010 deadline. It may even be completed ahead of schedule
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Despite falling behind by nine months in the work schedule of Namma Metro, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation is looking to complete Reach 1 before the original December 2010 deadline. The section — from Byappanahalli to KSCA cricket stadium — was caught in delays over shifting of utilities and other issues, leading to traffic congestion on MG Road and public apprehension over the pace at which the city’s showpiece rail project was moving.
Now, work has been intensified on the stretch between the MG Road-Dickenson Road junction and Trinity Circle. N Sivasailam, managing director, BMRC, told TOI on Thursday the December 2010 deadline won’t be breached and efforts were on to wind up work ahead of schedule.
“Girders are being launched now. Towards the month-end, we hope to intensify work on the viaduct on the stretch,’’ he said. The length of the elevated viaduct on Reach 1 (excluding stations) is approximately 6.1 km. A span or stretch of the viaduct, typically, has eight precast segments, taking the number of segments on the stretch to about 48.
With the middle portions of the road barricaded, work is on at full steam. Though the barricades mean restricted traffic movement, with the BMRC’s promise on meeting the deadline, the project looks set to be back on track. The BMRC has also invited tenders for the elevated viaduct on Reach 4 (Shiv Shankar Circle on KR Road to RV Road-end) in the north-south corridor. The length of the viaduct is about 3.6 km.