The 42.3-km stretch of Phase-1 of Bangalore Metro Rail project has missed another deadline for its completion. It will now be completed by September, 2015. The cost of the project, which was estimated at Rs 11,609 crore has also been revised to Rs 13,800 crore, said chief minister Siddaramaiah, here today.
Speaking to reporters after releasing a booklet on the achievements of his government during the first year in office, he said the Metro rail project is nearing completion. The Reach-3 of the project between Peenya and Sampige road stations was recently commissioned for public use, he said. The first reach between Baiyappanahalli and M G Road stations was opened for public use on October 20, 2011.
During his Budget speech in March this year, the chief minister had stated that the entire work on the first phase of the Metro rail project would be completed by March 2015.
“The Centre recently approved the second phase of Metro rail project involving investment of Rs 26,405 crore, which will have 72 kms. The project work for this phase will begin very soon,” he said.
The phase-1 of the metro rail involves 8 kms of underground section, which is under construction at Majestic area. The phase-2 includes 13.79 km of underground section with 12 stations. The 72.095 km long Phase-2 will have 61 stations in total.
According to Pradeep Singh Kharola, MD of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), the Reach 3 and 3A that is operational till Peenya will be extended up to Hessarghatta Main Road by November this year. The section between Magadi Road and Mysore Road will be completed by December 2014. The underground stretch on the East-West corridor has seen several delays and it will be completed by March 2015.
The cost escalation in the first phase from Rs 11,609 crore to Rs 13,800 crore has been attributed to the higher cost of land acquisition. The cost for the acquisition of land has risen from Rs 1,400 crore to Rs 2,200 crore, he told members of Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry at an interaction, recently.
