Namma Metro cost to go up by Rs 2,000 cr

Namma Metro cost to go up by Rs 2,000 cr
DH News Service, Bangalore:
The costs of the 'Namma Metro' project will go up by at least Rs 2,000 crore once the project cost is revised next year, after completion of the tender process of stations, rolling stock (coaches) and reaches 2 and 3.


This was announced by B S Sudhir Chandra, Director (Project and Planning), Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) here on Thursday.

Cost escalation

Delivering a talk on ‘Bangalore Metro Rail Project’ organised by the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers, Chandra said, “The current project estimate of Rs 6,936 crore, made in April 2005, with a five percent annual cost escalation made, would be revised in March/April 20089 due to the increase in costs of project tenders”

Slow progress

Chandra admitted to the slow and tardy progress of the metro rail project on Reach One (Chinnaswamy Stadium to Byappanahalli) and said the progress of via-ducts and piers was not going well at all and indicated that the selected contractor is at fault for delay in works.

“In future tenders, good contractors will be selected. Even the funding aspects have taken time. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) that is funding the project takes at least three to four weeks to approve every tender cost sent. It is sent to Tokyo. This is a price we have to pay. We are however, keeping pace with the deadline of having the train run by the end of 2011” he explained.