Delays continue to dog Namma Metro

Delays continue to dog Namma Metro
By S Praveen Dhaneshkar, DH News Service, Bangalore:
It has been six long years 19, September 2002 to be precise, since the state government first commissioned the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for phase 1 of Bangalore Metro Rail Project, later rechristened Namma Metro.



This development was only the first major initiative after the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) came into being in 2005 from its earlier avatar, the Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Limited (BMRTL), established in 1994 to provide a rail-based urban transport system for traffic clogged Bengaluru.

Fast forward to 2008, work on Reach One of the project (BRV police parade ground/chinnaswamy stadium to Baiyappanahalli) continues to progress at snail’s pace, with the BMRCL now admitting to the slow pace of construction of viaducts/piers and indicating that the selected contractor is at fault for tardy progress.
As Bangalore continues to grapple with the poor quality of roads and public infrastructure, with the current pace, can the Rs 6396 crore Namma Metro be relied upon in delivery of goods on time? Not to mention the number of litigations challenging the acquisition of private land pending in the High Court.

Fresh deadline

BMRCL official sources said the issue of delay has been costing Namma Metro badly, so much so that a revision in the project costs will be made in April/May 2009. Officials added that the matter will come up for discussion at its next board meeting, scheduled for next week. “Fresh timelines and warning and its adherence by the contractor are likely to be issued. We are in the process of a serious thought on the ground work delay” added the officials.
BMRCL is keen to avoid any legal issues that may be encountered with, at this stage in the eventuality of a retendering process of civil works and a fresh bid process.