Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), although, has awarded the work contracts for Phase II Project, it is yet to hand over land to contractors to commence work. According to BMRCL’s recent newsletter, the most critical of the acquisition issues faced by it are for NICE and forest lands.
“The work on Nagasandra-NIEC corridor is held up due to non-availability of NICE lands. The Karnataka high court stayed the proceedings of acquisition of NICE land for Bommasandra-RV Road corridor and two properties in Nagasandra-BIEC corridor,” reads the newsletter.
On forest lands, the state government has given BMRCL permission to acquire 18.1 hectares in Kadugodi plantation and 0.7 hectares in UM Kaval, required for Kadugodi and Anjanapura depots, respectively. “The expert committee constituted by the government has inspected the area and is yet to give permission for cutting and translocation of trees,” stated BMRCL.
Though the state government mooted a Mumbai-like war room last year to fast-track Metro projects, it’s yet to take off. Given that Namma Metro’s average speed of work is 4 km per year as against 25 km per year in Delhi Metro, experts have urged the government to resolve land acquisition issues.
According to India’s Metro Man E Sreedharan “each day’s delay would cost BMRCL about Rs 1.5 crore more.