BNV brings together BMRC officials & residents

Metro will not disturb lung space: MD

Sri BN Vijayakumar, Jayanagar MLA convened an interaction meet between the Bangalore Metro Rail officials and the residents of Jayanagar under the aegis of Abhivrudi at JSS Chinthana Mantapa, 8th Block, on Oct 14. BMRC officials clarified a number of queries raised by residents regarding the current status of the Metro project and the progress made vis-à-vis the schedule.

BMRC officials present included Sudip Chandra, Director in-charge of civil works, HS. Prakash Kumar, Chief Engineer, Jayaram, Project in-charge, Environmental and Rehabilitation, Chowhan PRO, Gangadharaiah, Special Deputy Commissioner, apart from former BJP Corporators, and representatives of various residents associations.


BMRC gave an power point presentation about the Metro and said they would be collecting feedback from the people on a quarterly basis.

Sri Shivashylan, MD, Bangalore Metro informed the gathering that the project was initially planned only till RV Road that is till Rajalakshmi Kalyana Mantapa, JP Nagar but now it has been extended to Banashankari and Puttenahalli, covering a total distance of approximately 43 kms at a cost of Rs 6,395 crore. Giving other details, he said a camera will be installed in every coach with a main panel at Byapanahalli terminal and with total 42 stations, 32 elevated and 8 underground. The deadline for the Metro to hit the rail is 2012. The total land acquired is 230 acre out of which 27acres are private and remaining Govt. land. The private land acquired in south Bangalore is very less, officials said.

Mr Shivashylan stated that in the second phase of the project, the longest distance of Metro rail in the world, the 75-km stretch from Yelahanka to Electronics City will be taken up.

Here's a gist of what the residents wanted to know from the officials:
Some of the ques tioned raised by the residents was:

Rama Rao: How much will the new design for the Metro station cost?

BMRC: Each station will cost Rs 37 crore approximately.

BK Rao: Work in MG Road has been going on now for the past two years. The road is barricaded and causing a lot of inconvenience to the traffic. Why did you begin from MG Road, and why such a tardy progress up to now?

BMRC: We started with MG Road because it is closer to the main terminal Byapannahalli. The progress of work is slow because we have to demolish over 129 properties in all out of which only few have been demolished. This process will gain in speed and be completed by November-end.

Mukund: What about the parking space around the metro project?

BMRC: The Metro project is not concerned with commuting on roads, but still, we have made provision for car parking facilities at every station with minimum capacity of 200 cars where as the world class Delhi Metro itself does not have car parking facilities.

Kusum Anand: What about loss of trees and parks where many laughter clubs are conducting programmes and have you given a thought to an alternative to the following loss of lung space?

BMRC: It is a necessary evil. Around 30% of the trees will go on Laxman Rao Park but they will be replaced with better greenery after the completion of the project.

In conclusion, Sri Vijayakumar said the Metro will run for 19 hrs a day from 8.30 am 10.30 pm with 30 trains and 166 service in each line with 40 train per hour with minimum of 2 1/2 minutes stay at each station initially, with escalators and lifts for differently abled people from the street level.