BANGALORE (Metro Rail News): Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has been granted permission by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to cut through the white-topped Outer Ring Road (ORR) to facilitate the construction of the airport metro line. The BMRCL has already begun barricading stretches of the route to conduct preliminary work. Although an increasing number of individuals are working from home, traffic on the popular road will be disrupted once the metro project is completed.
“The BMRCL has stated that elevated corridor piers will be built on the road median and will require around six metres of land along the stretch to construct the pillars, while the median width is three to four metres.” For this, they may cut open one or two metres on either side of the road,” a BBMP official stated.
In 2018-19, the BBMP began white-topping construction on all six lanes of the ORR at the cost of Rs 15 crore per kilometre. When questioned about the lack of planning and futility of white-topping a road that would witness metro work, civic officials claimed that after the white-topping was completed, the BMRCL finalised the alignment of the airport line.
“For the stretch between Kasturinagar and Hebbal. Cutting open the white-topped road may be required wherever the median is narrow,” said a BMRCL official. He went on to say that the piers will be built in the space between the flyovers. “The BMRCL normally restores the road after a project is completed, and the same practise applies here.”
The BMRCL has finished the land acquisition process on the ORR, with the exception of 1,700 square metres necessary for the Kempapura metro station. It requires the land in order to construct entrance points to the station near Nagawara Lake. According to sources, the Lake Development Authority has given its approval. According to officials, the site is said to be between the lake’s route and the fenced area.
“The project will have no impact on the lake, but the Revenue Department will take a final decision,” said an official. Meanwhile, the final notification for acquiring additional land on Ballari Road to build island platform stations has been issued.
