BENGALURU: The shocking incident on Monday of visually impaired students falling on Metro tracks has again led to the demand to install platform screen doors at Metro Rail stations. Metro officials peg the total cost at anywhere between Rs 450 crore and Rs 500 crore.
Metro officials agree that the screen doors will enhance passenger safety and ensure uninterrupted operations. A spate of suicides and suicide attempts have taken place on Metro tracks disrupting operations.
A top Metro official said it could cost up to Rs 7 crore plus additional GST to install these doors at each of the 65 stations. “It could cost double at the Kempegowda station as it has four platforms,” he said.
Asked if Rs 500 crore really matters, considering the safety of passengers, he said, “It is up to the state and the Centre to fund it. BMRCL’s operational profit now goes towards paying the annual interest of nearly Rs 90 crore,” he said. It would help if different companies take it up under their CSR initiative, he said. The doors need to be of sturdy and of excellent quality to sustain in the long run, he added.
Chennai and Ahmedabad Metros already have such doors, while Delhi Metro is installing half-screen doors for elevated stations and full-screen doors for underground stations, he said. “Our daily revenue is Rs 2 crore, while theirs is Rs 12 crore,” he said.
Another official said the bigger issue is just the three-hour window available every night to carry out installation works. “Many workers, equipment and infrastructure is needed. Train operations have to be stopped temporarily. The bigger issue is synchronisation. The screen door needs to open simultaneously with the train door. It is not impossible but extremely tough to install after operations have started,” he added.
BMRCL MD Maheshwar Rao said plans are on to install such doors at Kempegowda and Sir M Visvesvaraya stations.
Chief Public Relations Officer BL Yashavanth Chavan said tenders have already been awarded to Alstom to install the doors for the underground corridor on Phase-2 of Pink Line and the airport terminal station and half-height platform screen gates at the airport’s Metro station.