JOIN USCity’s longest subway to link Cantonment, Metro stops
The city will get its longest pedestrian subway measuring 275 metres providing access to passengers between Cantonment railway station and the proposed Metro station in Bamboo Bazaar.
For the first time, BMRCL has made accessibility-related infrastructure part of the main project in Reach 6 of Phase 2. The tender for design and construction of 2.88 km underground structures between Shivajinagar and Tannery Road stations includes the 275-metre long, 6-metre wide subway. The cost of the entire work is estimated at Rs 1,105.42 crore.
The subway would not have been needed had Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) stuck to the original alignment with the Cantonment Metro station right opposite of the railway station. However, officials had cited several technical and safety complications to change the station site to Madina Grounds, which is also supposed to save BMRCL Rs 1,000 crore.
At present, the pedestrian subway at KSR Railway Station from platform number 1 to 7, is said to be the longest, though its length is no more than 100 metres. Metro tunnels are usually built about 20 metres under the ground. Asked about the depth of the subway, sources said the details will be known after the evaluation of the detailed design consultation reports.
“The technical asects of the tender are under evaluation stage, following which it may take about two months for evaluation of the financial bids. Details of the subway will be clear once the contract is awarded,” the source said.
Lack of integration still troubles Metro passengers at several stations, including City Railway, Nagasandra, Dasarahalli and Yeshwantpur stations.
Activist Sanjeev Dyamannavar noted that the incorporation of the subway work in the design stage of the Metro project is a welcome measure. “This is the result of the protest against shifting of the Metro station and demand for integration between railway and Metro stations. BMRCL should follow this at KR Puram and Whitefield as well,” he said.