In the past week, a lot has been spoken about the Bengaluru Metro Rail work and the its delays With ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan, also the principal advisor to the Bengaluru Metro Rail Ltd. (BMRL), criticizing the slow pace of work and lack of timely decisions, there has been a strong push-back from the establishment, with IAS officer Srivatsa Krishna of Karnataka cadre taking to the pages of Times of India to mock him and even question his integrity.
But what really is the status of the BMRL project? Aparajita Ray of Times of India has a good round up today.
Long story short: it does not look good.
Delays in the phase II works of the project have already bled the government of Rs. 4000 cr, according to TOI. For those in Whitefield waiting for the Metro to ease their lives, it will at least take five more years for that to happen.
The phase II of the project involves laying metro lines for about 72 kms over 6 lines and will have 61 stations. This involves extension of four existing lines and laying two new lines. The four exisitng lines to be extended are Bypannahalli to ITPL, Whitefield; Mysuru Road to Kengeri; Hesaraghatta Cross to BIEC Tumukuru Road and Puttenahalli Cross to Anjanapura Township. The two new lines are to be from RV Road to Bommasandra and Gottigere IIM-B to Nagawara.
The cost is pegged at more than Rs. 26,000 crore.
The project was approved in 2013 and was to be completed by 2017-18. But now due to delays the project can only be completed by 2020, and that too if there aren’t any further delays. Given that the project has not even started yet, the timeline does not look plausible.
It is being alleged that ‘vested interests’ who want a change in project plans and ‘lack of coordination’ between civic agencies is causing the delays.
This is not the first time the BMRL has come under fire for delays. Earlier this year, media reports of public disdain at the project also emerged.
Not only do the delays have high cost overruns, they also increase traffic density and cause further problems instead of easing it out for the citizens.
So, Bengaluru is stuck with just what it has for at leats another 5 years.