Metro set to go the extra mile

Metro set to go the extra mile

The project is being extended on both reaches—from Yeshwanthpur up to Hesaraghatta Cross and RV Road to Puttenahalli

Hemanth Kumar. Bangalore



Namma Metro is just getting longer. The tender process for the extension works of the project from Yeshwanthpur to Hesaraghatta Cross and RV Road to Puttenahalli would be completed before the end of this month and a fair market price would be given as compensation for the properties to be acquired for the extended stretches.
A committee headed by retired IAS officer Krishnappa has been constituted to evaluate the value of properties along the proposed Metro extension stretches. The rates for the properties depending on the area would be announced after the committee submits its report, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa informed the legislative council in reply to a question from Motamma of the Congress.
The government had been liberal in paying compensation to the owners of properties which were acquired for the project under the first phase from Byappanahalli to the Chinnaswamy cricket stadium and Yeshwanthpur to RV Road. "We will give a fair price almost on par with the market rate for the properties to be acquired in the coming days also," he assured.
About 989 private properties would be acquired for the project, which has been estimated to cost the government about Rs1,664 crore.
The Metro work from Byappanahalli to the cricket stadium would be completed by December 2010, Yeshwanthpur-Swastik stretch by June 2011, underground section by June 2012, City station to Mysore Road by August 2012 and City Market to RV Road by September 2012 under the first phase.
Replying to a question on the recent protest by students of the Government Science College hostel on MG Road against utilisation of the hostel lands for Metro work, Yeddyurappa said, the hostel would be provided alternative land.
He clarified that the present hostel building would not be demolished and only the vacant land in front of the hostel would be utilised.
The total cost of the Metro project is Rs8,158 crore with the state and union government sharing the cost on a 50:50 basis