Metro Phase 2: Land acquisition may be completed by December

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has planned to complete the land acquisition process for Namma Metro Phase 2 by December this year.

With work on the Phase 1 nearing completion, the BMRCL hopes to speed up the execution of Phase 2 to meet its 2020 deadline. The 72-km-long Phase 2 comprises four extensions of the Phase 1 and two new Metro lines. Of these, the BMRCL has already started physical (civil) work on the Puttenahalli-Anjanapura line (6.29 kms) and Mysuru Road-Kengeri line (6.46 kms) under three packages.

However, there has been no visible progress on the remaining four proposed Metro lines. The land acquisition on the proposed Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield (15.50 kms), RV Road-Bommasandra (18.82 kms), Hesaraghatta Cross to Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (3.77 kms), Gottigere-Nagawara (13.79 kms) Metro lines is in different stages of progress.

A senior BMRCL official told DH that the corporation wants to complete land acquisition process by December 2016. “Except the underground stretch, the BMRCL has issued final notification in respect of land on all the Metro lines.

The entire Phase 2 requires acquisition of about 1,000 properties and the BMRCL has set aside Rs 5,500 crore to compensate the landowners”, the official said. “We need a large chunk of land for the proposed Metro stations while the Metro lines (viaduct) do not require more space as they come up on the roads. We have already acquired land for the entire stretch between Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield except a kilometre stretch after Lowry Memorial School in KR Puram till Mahadevapura.

We hope to settle the matter and compensate the landowners in a month”, he said.  The land for the underground stretch from Dairy Circle to Nagawara would be acquired in the latter stage, he added.

The official said properties would be acquired in the next three months on RV Road-Bommasandra and Dasarahalli- Bangalore International Exhibition Centre on Tumakuru Road stretch.  “Providing compensation for properties on the 3-km stretch from RV Road to Central Silk board would begin in a week while the remaining stretch might need a little more time,” he added.