From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Sep 14: Here’s some good news for the harried Bengalurians. All the civil and electrical works of the first phase of Namma Metro will be completed by Janauary 2017.
The entire first phase of Namma Metro will be ready for commercial operations in April 2017.
Earlier, the Metro’s entire Phase-I, covering 42.3 km, was scheduled to commence operations on Karnataka’s Rajyotsava Day on November 1.
However, owing to difficulty in drilling work of the tunnel, there would be delay in commencing operations by at least five months.
This information was given by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officials when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday chaired a meeting of City legislators in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister, who got down to routine administrative work after the week-long turmoil over the Cauvery water issue, was told by BMRCL officials that 33-kms out of the 42.3-kms network of Phase-I has now been completed.
A 15-meter underground work connecting Majestic faced problems and work has been delayed.
All civil and electrical works would be completed by January and trial run would be done in February and March.
The pending work on the section would be opened to public in April 2017.
The total project cost works out to Rs 13,800 crore.
The State Government has borne Rs 5,335 crore while the Centre and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided financial support to the project.
Currently, an average 1.80 lakh passengers have been utilising metro rail services.
About five lakh passengers would utilise metro rail services after completion of the first phase, the Chief Minister told reporters after the meeting.
Second Phase to cost Rs 26,400 cr
The cost of the 72-kms second phase is estimated at Rs 26,400 crore.
Work on Mysuru road connecting Kengeri and Kanakapura-NICE road junction has already commenced.
Tenders would be invited this month-end for commencing civil works on 16-km metro rail works connecting Electronics City-Whitefield.
French overseas development agency, Agence Francaise de Développement (AFD) has agreed to fund the project second phase of the project.
The cost of the project is shared between the Centre, State and AFD in the ratio of 20:20:60.
For the benefit of employees working in IT firms, Siddaramaiah has directed the BMRCL officials to include Central Silk Board-KR Puram junction in Phase-II (A). This 18 kms-stretch would cost Rs 3,500 crore.
BMRCL would raise funds through Innovative Financing, auction of its lands and raising loans from multilateral institutions.
The entire Phase-II would be completed by 2020, the Chief Minister said.