Namma Metro Phase 2 realignments to stay?

The government is keen that the work on the R.V. Road-Bommasandra metro line should not affect the functioning of the Jayadeva hospital.

The realignment of the R.V. Road-Bommasandra line under Namma Metro Phase 2 near the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research is likely to stay with the State government keen that work on this stretch should not affect the functioning of the premier heart hospital.

Transport and Bangalore City in-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who reviewed Namma Metro’s progress here on Saturday, told The Hindu that the health departments of both the State and Union governments did not want any “disturbance” to the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. “At the same time we are also concerned about individuals whose properties are to be razed for the changed alignment.”

Asked if they would be paid higher compensation, he replied in the negative, and said it would have to be paid as per rules. He said while 69 properties would have been acquired for the old alignment, it was 74 properties for the new alignment.

Residents of Jayanagar 9th Block and BTM Layout, where R.V. Road-Bommasandra line of Namma Metro Phase 2 passes through, had voiced their anxiety over the changed alignment to accommodate the Jayadeva Interchange Station on the hospital premises to the other side of the Ring Road. Over 94 properties, including apartments, with more than 150 senior citizens residing, are slated to be razed with the change in alignment and they had urged the government to take the line underground.

Technicalities

Mr. Reddy said he watched a presentation by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation’s managing director N. Sivasailam on Saturday which explained the technicalities involved in the alignment change. The change in alignment on the East-West extension line, between Byappanahalli and Whitefield, which involved the dropping of the Narayanapura station and extension of the line till Hoody, too were technically and operationally correct.

Regular review

Mr. Reddy, who reviewed the two-year delay in Namma Metro Phase 1 , asked BMRCL to ensure Phase 2 progress was not afflicted by similar glitches such as late awarding of contracts for the underground section.

He said he would regularly review the progress of the projects once in three months.