Metro Phase I to be fully ready by March 2015

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Tunnelling work will be completed by September 2014, promises BMRCL chief

All tunnelling work of Namma Metro’s Phase 1 will be completed by September 2014, said Pradeep Singh Kharola, managing director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL).

Six months after the tunnelling is completed, the other works, including track laying, will be completed. “By March 2015, Namma Metro’s Phase 1 will be completely operational,” he said.

Slow and steady progress: A stretch of the north–south corridor of Namma Metro near the K.R. market underground station in Bangalore on Friday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

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On Friday, Bangalore city in-charge and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao, Mayor B.S. Sathyanarayana and a posse of other officials inspected Namma Metro’s underground north–south corridor from South Ramp to City Market station.

After the inspection, Mr. Reddy directed BMRCL officials to ensure the work is completed on time. While Phase 2 is in the final stages of approval, he expressed confidence that the work would commence soon. He said the commercial operations between Peenya and Malleswaram would start this year-end. This, however, depended on how soon the Centre accords approval for the same. He added that by March 2014, commercial operations between Peenya and Hessarghatta would begin.

According to a senior official, the BMRCL was hoping to begin work between Majestic and City Railway station by the first week of November. The official said that the tunnelling work between Jakkarayanakere to Majestic was in progress.

Bangalore South MP H.N. Ananth Kumar said that BMRCL was using better technology than that was used by Delhi Metro. He said that tunnelling speed was around five metres a day, given the city’s difficult geological structure.

He said that though the detailed project report for Namma Metro was prepared and approved along with those of Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Hyderabad, the work has not progressed much in those cities. “The work is still in the soil testing stage there, while Namma Metro is already rolling, albeit partially.”