Bengaluru: Bangalore Metro has officially completed inviting all construction bids for Phase-2. The project, expected to be up and running by 2020, has four extensions and two new lines.
BMRCL CPRO Vasanth Rao confirmed that the last portion to be opened for bids is the Gottigere-Nagawara Underground section, which was put up on the BMRCL website last week.
The 13.9 km stretch from Dairy Circle to Nagawara has been divided into four contract packages, with 12 stations in all. Each of these sections will take three years to be completed, with an overall estimated cost of Rs 5,044 crore.
“Package 1 is from south ramp to Vellara Junction, including Dairy Circle, MICO Industries and Langford Town metro stations. Package 2 will end at Cantonment Station, including Vellara Junction, M.G. Road and Shivajinagar Metro station. Phases 3 and 4 include Pottery Town, Tannery Road and Venkateshpura, Arabic College and Nagawara stations," an excerpt of the tender document reads.
KIA Link
Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George had previously confirmed that the Metro link to the Kempegowda International Airport falls under Phase 2b. The department recently put up the proposed geotechnical investigation of Nagawara to KIA along with proposed DGPS, Topographic, Land and Property survey. The detailed project report is yet to be prepared.
Under Phase-1, the maximum time was spent on the 8.82 km underground stretch. Phase-2 will be more challenging given its overall size and underground portion going up to 13.9 km.
GST
“There is no change in the Metro passenger fares after the GST has come into effect. We are exempt from it. As for the construction bit, we are yet to work it out with respect to the new tax regime. We don't know if it will reduce or increase costs," said Mr Vasanth Rao.
No Hindi, BMRCL buckles to pressure
Metro signage in Hindi was covered with paper and tape at the Kempegowda and Chickpete Metro Stations on Monday. While there has been no official statement by the BMRCL, it is rumoured to be a result of #NammaMetroHindiBeda social media campaign. Pro-Kannada organisations also held a protest in front of the BMRCL office on June 23. It is unclear if the masking of Hindi signage is a permanent or temporary move to appease protesters. If this will be replicated across all stations is another unanswered question.
