Govt to mobilise funds for Phase-II of Namma Metro
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMCRL), which has prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for Namma Metro’s phase-II, has recommended that only government agencies fund the civic and infrastructure parts of the project.
Sources said, as reported by Deccan Herald on November 26, that both the BMRCL and the Government of Karnataka had, in principle, agreed to this proposition and have begun mobilisation of resources.
Part of the fund mobilisation plan was the proposal to levy cess on the public. According to sources, the BMRCL has suggested enactment of rules for collecting cess from owners of properties located close to metro alignment to raise some funds.
On asking BMRCL Managing Director N Sivasailam as to when an official notification to this effect could be expected, he said: “...I am not aware.”
A five per cent cess on the market value of the property could be levied whenever there is a transaction on the property since the property values are bound to jump because of the metro alignment, sources in the Urban Development Department (UDD) said.
An official said 10 per cent cess on residential and 20 per cent cess on commercial properties could be levied for availing additional floor area ratio within 500 metre of the metro alignment, which would mean an estimated Rs 250 crore collection a year for UDD.
The government is empowered to collect the cess as the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act authorises levy of cess not exceeding one tenth of the market value of the property.
The collected amount could be credited to Metro Infrastructure Fund and be shared among BMRCL, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the Bangalore Development Authority at the rate of 65 per cent, 20 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.
The plans for mobilisation of the funds are being worked out. Having learnt its lessons from Phase-I, the BMRCL knows what it is to face the embarrassment of missing deadlines and is doing everything to avoid hiccups.
With the approval for Phase II, the alignment has been frozen, and the BMRCL has already kick-started the process of indicating the land requirement to Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) so that the preliminary notifications for acquisitions could be issued.
Although the DPR has identified the underground utilities to be shifted, BMRCL will undertake one more reconnaissance survey to exactly locate the utilities to be shifted.
The proposal will be sent to the Centre shortly.
New coaches
As many as 321 new coaches will be required for operationalising Phase II of Namma Metro in 2017, including 105 coaches for East-West extension (Whitefield-Kengeri), 81 coaches for North-South extension (Manjunathanagar-Anjanapura Township), 66 coaches for R V Road Terminal-Bommasandra and 69 coaches for Gottigere-Nagavara new lines.
Another key suggestion in the DPR is the construction of a depot at Kengeri for the East-West corridor even as the corridor has the depot and master control room at Byappanahalli, besides having a depot at Hebbagodi for the RV Road line and another depot at Kothanur for the Gottigere line.
