Namma Metro chugs on a slow track

Namma Metro chugs on a slow track
By S Praveen Dhaneshkar, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Despite Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa emphatically stating that Namma Metro is on track and would be completed by December 2010, the construction activity on Reach One (M Chinnaswamy cricket stadium/Anil Kumle circle to Byappanahalli) appears to have slowed down...


And who is to blame? Is it the Navayuga Engineering Limited, which has bagged the contract to carry out the work or the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL)?

If one were to go by the assurances of the BMRCL, the project might appear to be on track with construction of piers and viaduct progressing and tenders for construction of metro stations and depots also on schedule.

But, the delay on the ground is quite visible, say motorists who travel on roads where the works are on.

The view that delay has been an issue has come from none other than Dr Ramachandran, Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development (MuD). Speaking to Deccan Herald from New Delhi, he said the delay in few instances has been because of a combination of factors.

Rough path

“It has not been smooth sailing for the Bangalore Metro project. There were delays on a host of issues, primarily acquisition of private land, legal issues etc. The slow performance of the contractor selected by the BMRCL is also an issue. At one stage, it was decided to even do away with the selected contractor and go for a fresh tender bidding process. But, there are issues involved in it. The BMRCL has issued instructions to the contractor to speed up the activity so as to complete the project as per deadlines set,” Ramachandran said.

The MuD also felt that to do away with the selected contractor and go for fresh bidding would not be viable at this juncture and instructed the BMRCL to take necessary steps. The contractor then assured the BMRCL that construction works would be expedited on Reach One.

With the managing director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Dr E Sreedharan having been asked by the Ministry of Urban Development to review the progress made by Namma Metro on a daily basis, only time will tell if the project will be delivered by 2010-11.