Namma Metro all set to reach Bangalore city outskirts

Namma Metro all set to reach Bangalore city outskirts


Bangalore: The contract for Phase I extension of the Bangalore metro has finally been awarded and work is set to begin in full-swing now. "We have awarded the contract for construction of viaduct and three stations from Yeshwantpur station to Peenya depot. The contract for the other two parts -- Peenya to Hesaraghatta and RV Road to Puttenahalli -- will be awarded soon," said a senior Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) official. He said that the process of tender evaluations is on and the final decision will be announced shortly.

The contract for the construction of an elevated viaduct of 4.8km and three stations (ORR, Peenya and Peenya village) has been awarded to L&T Limited, ECC division, Chennai, at a cost of Rs303.29 crore.

The empowered group of ministers had approved the North-South extension of the metro rail on January 30, 2009, at a total cost of Rs1,763 crore. The northern extension (from Yeshwantpur to Hesaraghatta Cross) and southern extension (from RV Road to Puttenahalli) was incorporated into Phase I, thus extending its length to about 42km, with 40 stations, with an objective to connect the Outer Ring Road at both ends, and also cover the industrial areas of Peenya in the North-West. The state government had approved of this extension in October 2008.

The civil works for the extensions are scheduled to begin in mid-March and the extension work is likely to be completed in June or September 2012. The deadline for the extensions would be the same as that of Phase I.