It's a 3-year wait until Metro decongests Kanakapura road

By: Naveen Menezes

BENGALURU: Civil work on the entire stretch, expected to cost Rs 509 crore, involves five elevated metro stations

Mobility issues on the much-neglected Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru south are in the process of being addressed.
Civil work on the Puttenahalli (Yelchenahalli) Anjanapura Metro corridor, an extension of Namma Metro Phase I, is currently in progress.Although it has caused much disruption to traffic on the Kanakapura Road, the 5.5-km project is expected to be ready in the next two to three years.

In February last, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation ( BMRCL) had awarded the contract to Nagarjuna Constructions Company , which emerged as the lowest bidder. The entire Reach-4 B, expected to cost Rs 508.86 crore, involves five elevated metro stations.

Currently , work related to construction of viaducts (pillars), metro stations and launching girder (an iron structure used to place concrete segments between viaducts along the elevated corridor), is under progress.

“We have undertaken civil work of all five metro stations. And, about 25% of the pillar work is over. At the Krishna Leela Park Station, we have erected concrete segmental (box girders) as well,“ a senior BMRCL official said.

The contractors have set up a casting yard on a 20-acre plot near Agara Cross (close to Tataguni village) where work related to piles, pile caps, piers, segments and girders is going on.

Meanwhile, the BMRCL had to cut as many as 127 trees for this elevated metro project. While approval to cut 44 trees is accorded by BBMP, the corporation is awaiting a go-ahead for the rest.

Besides this, civil work on the Mysuru Road metro extension ­ up to Kengeri ­ too is in progress. On this stretch, the construction work is taken up in parts by IL&FS Engineering Construction Company and Soma Enterprise.

Under Namma Metro Phase II, BMRCL has invited bids for the construction of the Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield, RV Road to Bommasandra and Nagasandra to Bangalore International Exhibition Centre lines. There is no progress on the Gottigere Nagawara line, which is expected to connect Kempe gowda International Airport.