Reach-I of Metro to be opened in December

Work on the first reach of the Bangalore Metro would be completed and commissioned by December 2010. “Work on the first reach from Byappanahalli to M G Road are on a fast track and about 75 per cent of the work has been completed and it will be open to public use by the end of December this year,” chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said here at the weekend.

Talking to reporters, after inspecting the Metro works, here, he said the total cost of civil construction for the viaduct is about Rs 16 crore; six stations are being built at a cost of Rs 250 crore and the depot would cost Rs 175 crore. The area below the viaduct on the Swamy Vivekananda Road will be utilised for displaying activities like conducting shandys (rural santhe), chitra santhe, among others.

The boulevard on M G Road from Anil Kumble Circle to Kamaraj Road will be restored with facilities for conducting visual art and crafts shows, open air theatre, street plays, music band and children play among others. The green cover and water bodies will be restored in all these areas, he said.

Yeddyurappa said the government would not shift the soap manufacturing plant of the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd from Yeshwantpur. The government is thinking to modernise and expand the factory at its existing location. KS&DL has 37.4 acres in its possession and a roadmap will be prepared for its proper utilisation soon, he said.

The government was also considering a plan for utilising the vacant land belonging to the state-owned Mysore Lamps which was closed down a few years ago.