Swedish Group To Study Bangalore Metro Option

The implementation of the Rs 6,000 crore elevated, light-rail transport project for the city has become uncertain with the Karnataka government commissioning a consortium of Swedish companies to prepare a blueprint for an underground rail system for the city.

Karnataka State Industrial and Investment Development Corporation (KSIIDC) last week signed a letter of intent with the consortium for jointly preparing a blueprint for an underground metro system and an integrated transport system for the city.

Stockholm's local transport corporation will assist in preparing the blueprint for the integrated transport system. The consortium consists of Atlas Copco, Nordik Construction Company and Kjessler & Mannerstrale International.

"We will be working along with KSIIDC," L Hakan Sandlund of Kjessler & Mannerstrale said.

Sandlund said the consortium partners had made a presentation before Chief Minister J H Patel during the his visit to Sweden in September.

The consortium has initiated talks with multilateral and other agencies to work out a funding pattern for the project.

The elevated, light-rail transport project (ELRTS), which is being promoted by a consortium led by the UB Group, has run into environmental, legal and financial hurdles.

However, preparatory work for the ELRTS has started with the selection of financial consultants. The cost of the first phase (24 km stretch) of the project has been pegged at Rs 2,400 crore.

An agreement was signed in January between UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya and Patel on the broad parameters for the project.

The UB-led consortium consists of ICF Kaiser Engineers Inc, Transportation and Transit Associates Inc, both of the US, Nippon Sharyo Ltd of Japan and UB Transit Systems Ltd.

According to Sandlund, the metro rail project will cost about 50 per cent more than the ELRTS. "But it will be more environment friendly and won't affect the skyline," he said.

The consortium partners say that Bangalore and Hyderabad are ideal for setting up an underground rail system because they are based on solid rock.

Sandlund said the project should be taken up in phases and the entire network of around 40 km-50 km would take about 30 years to complete.

The first phase of 10-15 km would take between 4 -6 years, he added.

Sandlund was not in favour of the project being implemented on a build, operate, transfer (BOT) basis. "Such projects have to be funded by the local governments and an integrated transport system should be operated by the government," he said.

He said an integrated transport system was the key to the viability of the underground rail system.

He suggested that a single ticket should be given to commuters and the cost of the ticket should be worked out in such a way that commuters pay only half of the cost of the project.

The rest could come through government subsidies, he added.

"In the case of the Bangalore metro rail, the government may have to subsidise more than 50 per cent," Sandlund said.

According to experts, an ELRTS offers less option for extensions when compared to a metro rail network.