BMRCL to commence extended metro lines as scheduled provided COVID-19 situation under control

BMRCL

At this time of COVID-19 crisis and nationwide lockdown, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said, the commencement of commercial operations of the extended metro line on Kanakpura Road and Mysuru Road will be on time, provided the present situation is under control by April.

BMRCL

Ajay Seth, Managing Director, BMRCL said, “We are hoping that if the situation becomes normal soon, we will be in a position to start the commercial operations within the timeline set. However, we cannot say what challenges we are going to face in the coming days. As and when they come we will deal with them. At this point in time, we are hoping to start operations.”

As per schedule planned by the BMRCL, the extended Green Line (Yelachenahalli to Anjanapura) is planned to commence functions from Independence Day, August 15, and the extended Purple Line (Mysuru Road to Kengeri) from November 1, the day of Karnataka Rajyostava.

The metro corporation is already facing challenges for the project because of the situation and for the acquisition of NICE land. However, BMRCL is prepared that if incase the acquisition of NICE land gets delayed, the existing depots at Peenya on Green Line and Baiyappanahlli on Purple Line will be used for commencing the operations.

The new Green line extension adds 6.29 km to the existing 24.2 km covering from Nagasandra to Yelachenalli. Whereas, 6.465 km will be added to the existing Purple Line which is 18.1 km from Mysuru Road station to Baiyappanahalli.

Moreover, the BMRCL has also planned to construct a tunnel network from Dairy Circle to Nagawara covering 14 km and has already procured two tunnel-boring machines. Although the BMRCL officials were quite confident about starting the tunnel work by March, but due to the sudden outbreak of COVID19 the work couldn’t be started.

As a precautionary step to curb the spread of COVID-19, like any other infrastructure projects in the city, construction works of Namma Metro have also been stopped temporarily.