JOIN USReach-1: December deadline doubtful
The BMRCL officials have been maintaining that they are confident of meeting the deadline. However, Chief Public Relations Officer B L Y Chavan said: “We are positive about December launch.
But we can to come to a final conclusion only after October.” The Reach-1 comprises the Byappanahalli to Chinnaswamy stadium stretch.
Fifty-eight per cent of the the track laying work which began in April this year is yet to be completed. The loco-pilots being trained in Delhi are still to be certified.
On an average, 35 per cent of the work on all the stations of the stretch need to be completed.
There are also lot of procedures to be completed before the actual commissioning. This newspaper, in a report carried recently, had quoted experts who assessed that the Reach-1 could be operationalised only early next year. We can only hope that the jingle, if finalised, will have an operational metro to play on.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Rules, were also made public recently. The rules lay great emphasis on security.
For instance, one can only enter the metro station ten minutes before the day’s first train is scheduled for departure in order to avoid over-crowding in the station. A 15-kg cap has been placed on luggage.
The draft rules on claims procedure has discussed elaborately the quantum of compensation and the procedure. A passenger, in case of loss of both limbs, sight or hearing, while on Metro and for no fault of his or hers, can claim upto a maximum of Rs four lakh.
The legal representatives can claim compensation in case of deaths. Similarly, Rs 3.6 lakh can be availed in case of amputations and Rs 32,000 for a majore bone fracture.
The rules prohibit smoking in the station premises and travel with contagious diseases et al.