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Plea for changing Metro alignment at Whitefield

BMRCL says realignment not in public interest
Last Updated 07 June 2013, 19:29 IST

Phase-II of Namma Metro, which the implementing agencies are hoping will get a formal clearance at June 25 meeting of Public Investment Board (PIB) under the Union Finance Ministry, is already under considerable trouble.

While the realignment of the stretch near Jayadeva Hospital has already resulted in a public outcry, B S Patil, former chief secretary to state government, has said he will make a fresh representation to the new government about the alignment near the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), Whitefield.

The change in alignment, according to Patil was being sought as it was affecting a lot of companies functioning in the industrial park from 10 years.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Patil said: “The implementing authorities are head strong. Today, it is not only Bangalore that is getting a Metro rail service, there are more than 10 cities that will have it, and, thereby, they need to consult experts when there is more than their view on the table. They cannot decide arbitrarily. I will make a fresh representation to the government. ”

In a reply to Patil, B S Sudhir Chandra of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has said that the High Power Committee (HPC) has not agreed to make the required changes in the alignment as requested by the stakeholders represented by Patil.

“During discussions, the present alignment and Vaidehi Hospital station location details on Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield section were explained. You suggested shifting of the alignment to the road median in the centre in the section between Vaidehi station and the BMTC bus stop. But it cannot be done,” a BMRCL reply said. A copy of the correspondence is with Deccan Herald.

The BMRCL conceded that it had explained to the HPC that “in case the alignment is shifted to the road median and taken to the left side near Vaidehi Hospital Circle, much of the property of BMTC, including the bus stand, has to be acquired and demolished rendering the infrastructure useless and diminishing the intra-city transport facility for local commuters.” It was neither desirable nor acceptable in public interest, the BMRCL said.

Patil, however, said that the whole of the infrastructure was not going to be disturbed. “Only a part of it was to be touched. But, they have decided, leaving us with no option but to make a representation with the new government,” he said.

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(Published 07 June 2013, 19:29 IST)

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