’It is next to impossible’

Advisor to the CM on infrastructure says that if won't be possible for the BMRCL to get safety clearance for Metro from the commissioner of railways before the set deadline.

'It is next to impossible'

Advisor to the CM on infrastructure says that if won't be possible for the BMRCL to get safety clearance for Metro from the commissioner of railways before the set deadline.

Too late: Due to the delay, the cost of the project has been escalated
exactly twofold from the original estimation. File pic

"The Metro trail will start chugging on April 4 as per schedule. This will be the government's Ugadi gift to the city and I am going to invite the Prime Minister for the launch," said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

However, the Reach-1 of the first phase of the Metro - the 7.8 km stretch between Byappanahalli and MG Road - is not ready. Besides, about 20 per cent of civil works is pending and the procedure for safety certification is yet to be completed.

'Next to impossible'
In order to get the safety clearance from the commissioner of railways, each of five train sets has to be completed the trail run covering the distance of 2,500 km. However, the trains have hardly completed just 600 km after the trail run started a month ago.

"When a month long trial run could cover only 600 km, how can one expect the rest to be covered in another 15 days? Practically speaking it is next to impossible," said M N Srihari, advisor to the CM on infrastructure.

While enumerating the pending works, he said six stations along the stretch were not ready and at most, the government could have a symbolic launch on April 4. This would mean that services would only be thrown open to the public after almost a month.

Under pressure
"It has become a prestige issue for the government and the CM is exerting pressure on the BMRCL in order to meet the deadline. This is the main reason he is talking of inviting the PM for the inauguration. It may even help the railways to speed up the process of safety clearance," said a source in the government.

While declining to comment on the rumoured soft launch, B L Yeshwant Chavan, chief engineer and spokesperson for BMRCL, said, "I can't comment on speculations whether it would be a symbolic launch or an actual one. All I can say is that the corporation is striving hard to meet the deadline."

The BMRCL has missed several deadlines and the Reach-1 was expected to be thrown open to the public exactly a year ago. Thanks to the delay, the cost of the project has been escalated exactly twofold from the original estimation of Rs 6,700 crore to a revised estimation of Rs 13,000 crore.

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