BENGALURU: Though BMRCL has set 2020 as the deadline to implement Phase-2 of the project, it has got many land acquisition hurdles to overcome.
"We need 58 acres of land for the Kadugodi depot on the K.R. Puram to Silk Board stretch. A High Court single bench had earlier declared the 711 acres as Government land, to which a private property developer filed an appeal. However, Metro does not require the portion of land, which the private group is demanding ,” said Channappa Goudar, Metro Land Acquisition Officer of BMRCL.
"The forest department also owns a portion of the land here, which is not under litigation. We have approached them for the non-disputed portion. The online submission and other procedures were followed and BMRCL is awaiting their response,” Goudar informed.
The above stretch falls under Phase 2a covering 17 km. Reach 1 extension on the East-West corridor, from Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield is also facing opposition.
IFB Industries Ltd and Bangalore Petroleum and Chemicals have approached the court for a stay, over the land that Metro is in need of. One parcel of commercial land is needed to construct the M. Visveshwaraya station and the other for the viaduct.
BMRCL has also changed its alignment at RV Road (Reach 5, Phase 2) after they were criticized by residents for encroaching Laxman Rao Park and also by BWSSB for disrupting the Cauvery line running underground. The residents approached the NGT where the case is ongoing.
"The viaducts (pillars) will be adjacent to the road, on the footpath and partly on the park area. Not much of Lakshman Rao Park will be affected. Trees on the footpath will be axed. The new station will be right opposite the old one, taking up a space of 165 by 25 metres," Goudar said.
While the new alignment does not affect the Cauvery line, the construction has not begun due to the ongoing NGT case.
Call for ‘women only’ coaches
Nagalakshmi Bai, Chairperson of Karnataka's State Commission for Women visited Majestic Metro station along with Advocate Umesh Kumar at 10 am. They took a ride to Vidhana Soudha and inspected the facilities at the metro stations.
"We will write to BMRCL MD Pradeep Singh Kharola, urging for two extra coaches for women. They face a lot of problems, especially during peak hours. Even if no one is misbehaving with them, there is no space to stand," Umesh Kumar said.
"The ladies' toilets at stations women must be cleaned. Though there are drinking water facilities, there are no glasses in many places. The coaches are overcrowded, about which I will send a notice to BMRCL," Nagalakshmi said.
Kumar, who is also the President of Cubbon Park Walker's Association, said, "BMRCL must begin service at 6 am on Sundays, second Saturdays and national holidays. Lots of walkers come for early morning walks to Cubbon Park and can rely on the Metro. Now, they are all bringing their two-wheelers and cars, thereby adding to the traffic volume."
