BENGALURU: Hundreds of Metro commuters who dart across the National Highway-4 daily to reach the Nagasandra and Dasarahalli stations can take some solace from the fact that pedestrian subways will come up at these places in the future. Tenders called for in this connection by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) have elicited good response.
These stations which figure in the Reach 3B stretch of Namma Metro did not have the promised subways in place since their inauguration in May 2015. Commuters either had to wait for considerable time to cross over or risk life and limb by dashing across in the face of speeding vehicles.A top BMRCL official said that permission had to be obtained from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) as the proposed subways cross their property “We have got the green signal from NHAI and hence begun the process of putting in place the subways.”
The tenders called to build them in September have witnessed good competition, the official added.
Among the firms in the reckoning are ITD Cementation India Limited, Simplex Infrastructures Limited, Viswas Enterprises (Venkanagouda S Patil and N Ranganatha. “The first two concerns are already associated with BMRCL. Simplex is carrying out infrastructure work along Reach 3 while ITD is carrying out work along the Electronic City and Whitefield route of Phase-II,” he said. The technical scrutiny of the bidders is presently on.
The subways are expected to be in place within 8 to 10 months of the contract being finalised. “Pre-cast technology would be deployed in construction of the subways. Each one will have four entrances,” said the official.“The subways could cost anywhere between Rs 10 crore and Rs 15 crore. The right figure will be known when the contract is finalised.”
Way Leave Charges
NHAI Regional Officer Y Venkata Reddy Prasad said, “We have given BMRCL the land requested for the two subways but have stipulated certain conditions. We have asked them to pay Way Leave Charges for usage of the highway route.” “Bangalore Metro could get it waived off or they need to pay us the charges. It is up to them,” he added.