Metro connects south today

The southern neighbourhoods of Bengaluru are excited: they are finally connected by Namma Metro.
President Pranab Mukherjee will flag off a train to Yelachenahalli on Saturday, and mark the completion of Phase 1.

The entire Phase 1 will be open to public from 4 pm on Sunday, allowing seamless connectivity among four different corners of the city.

Now, a stroll through Lalbagh and Cubbon Park or a visit to the Banashankari temple need not be a weekend affair for people from other parts of the city as, for the first time, they can plan every minute of their trip. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has finally tackled the 4-km underground section between National College and Sampige Road, its biggest bottleneck, which prevented the metro from connecting some of the oldest parts of Kempegowda’s Bengaluru.

BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola said the stretch, especially near KR Market and Chickpet stations, had become the biggest bottlenecks.

“The geographic conditions were challenging. We encountered several problems, including the breakdown of the tunnel boring machine, which delayed the work. But our engineers worked day and night to reach this day,” he said.

Traffic diversions on account of President’s visit


The traffic police will impose the following restrictions in view of the movement of President Pranab Mukherjee and his convoy in the city on Saturday. Restrictions on vehicle parking on the following roads:

n  Old Airport Road:  Between Suranjandas Road and ASC centre
n  Trinity Church Road:  Between ASC Centre and Trinity Circle
n  MG Road:  Between Trinity Circle and Webbs Junction
n  Dickenson Road:  Between Webbs Junction and Manipal Centre
n  Cubbon Road: Between Manipal Centre and CTO Circle
n  Raj Bhavan Road, Ali Askar Road
n  Infantry Road: Between Ali Askar Road and Traffic HQ Junction
n Queen’s Road: Between Traffic Headquarters Jn and CTO Circle
n  Dr B R Ambedkar Road: Betw­e­en Coffee Board Junction and KR Circle
n  Devraj Urs Road: Between Bas­a­veswara Circle and M S Building
n  Vidhana Soudha East Gate
n  Vehicular movement on Devraj Urs Road will be restricted between 4 pm and 8 pm.

Vehicle parking

M S Building parking lot, old KGID and High Court parking lots, inside Cubbon Park, between West side of Central Street and Anil Kumble Circle and to B R V Junction, Freedom Park parking lot, Palace Road parking lot between CID Junction and Maharani college U-turn junction, both sides of Kasturba Road, between Hudson Circle and Siddalingaiah Circle and west side of K B Road, between Siddalingaiah Circle and Museum.