Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has dropped its plan to reduce the length of the underground section on the Red Line (Gottigere to Nagawara) of Namma Metro. After first announcing that the underground section between Dairy Circle and Nagawara would be 13.92-km long, the corporation later decided to cut costs and instead build an elevated line on either side of the original alignment. However, the Project Management Committee of the BMRCL Board has now decided to revert to the first plan.
Ajay Seth, managing director, BMRCL, said tenders would be floated for the construction of tunnels between Dairy Circle and Vellara Junction, and Tannery Road and Nagawara shortly.
This phase is proving to be problematic for the metro rail corporation. A tender floated for the tunnel network in June 2017 was cancelled after bidders quoted prices nearly 70% higher than the BMRCL’s estimates. It was estimated that the project would cost ₹5,047.56 crore but bidders quoted ₹8,553.45 crore.
In June 2018, for the other stretch of the line — from Vellara Junction to Tannery Road — the BMRCL floated fresh tenders in two packages.
Why the U-turn?
The BMRCL’s plan to build an elevated line on either side of the original tunnel alignment was heavily dependent on the BBMP’s projects to widen the existing roads.
“Civic authorities have no plan to widen the road from Dairy Circle towards Vellara Junction. Building an elevated metro station at Dairy Circle on a narrow road requires a great extent of land acquisition. Then the plan to build Langford metro station received opposition from the defence authorities over security reasons,” said Mr. Seth.
The northern part of the alignment was dependent on the BBMP widening the narrow Tannery Road till the Outer Ring Road (4.63 km). Civic officials had identified 666 properties to make way for the project, but acquiring them is proving to be difficult as property owners are not willing to accept the TDR. “To build the elevated line, first we have to widen the existing road and start the construction which requires a great extent of land and it is time consuming.” Mr. Seth said.
Will it meet 2023 deadline?
The BMRCL has set 2023 as the deadline for completing the entire Phase II project. In all, there will be 12 underground metro stations. “We are in the process of floating tender for the rest of the reaches of the underground line,” said Mr. Seth. The Gottigere–Nagawara line will be the last to be opened for commercial operations.
The BMRCL had also faced opposition from citizens with its decision to build the underground Cantonment station at Bamboo Bazaar playground, around 300 to 400 metres away from Cantonment railway station. Despite protests, the alignment has not been changed.
