Namma Metro from Silk Board to KR Puram corridor on the Outer Ring Road(ORR) may get further delayed. The 17 KM elevated stretch with 13 stations is yet to have a bidder which will take furthermore time. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has now set a 2023 deadline for both ORR and airport lines, which is unlikely to be completed any time sooner.
Metro project getting completed not in any time soon
BMRCL, giving a project deadline for 2021 last year floated a tender which later got suspended due to lowest bidding in all departments and delay in raising funds by Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS). However, a revised tender is yet to be called and the project cost has increased to 5,994 crores than that of 2016( Rs 4,202 crore). Further delays are also because, BMRCL planned to acquire 36,784sqm compared to its original 15,179sqm as per plan, mainly for multi-mode integration.
“We will soon float a revised tender following the Centre’s 2017 Metro plan. We’re forming land property along the corridor to avoid a further pause,” an official told in a report.
Trouble for Techie commuters
The secretary of Outer Ring Road Companies Associations (ORRCA) stated that the delays have not only increased the project price but also created trouble to the commuters and particularly IT employees. He said, “Ideally, BMRCL should have begun Metro work on ORR first. Things will be graver by the time it is operational.”
A common passenger and a techie told, “It’s turbulent during peak hours when vehicles don’t move. It’s more critical when it rains but there have been no attempts to rein in shifting private bus operators or Fastrack to the metro project. We are let to suffer; there has been no clear thought on ORR despite the rise in population.”
The 13 stations connecting KR Puram and Silk Board are: KR Puram, Mahadevapura, DRDO Sports complex, Doddanekundi, ISRO, Marathahali, Kodibisanahali, Kadubeesanahali, Bellandur, Iblur, Agara Lake, HSR Layout, and Silk Board.
