BENGALURU: In the wake of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s move to make a modification in its proposed Red Line alignment near the Cantonment Railway station, South Western Railway (SWR) on Monday clarified that they are ready to allocate land to BMRCL to facilitate metro work.In response to public criticism after BMRCL’s move to set up Cantonment Metro station near Bamboo Bazaar due to an alleged tussle with the Indian Railways, SWR in a release said: “Railway is open to considering any proposal of sparing land to BMRCL to facilitate Metro work in such way that it is practicable and beneficial to everybody”.
BMRCL on Friday has come up with a change in the alignment of the proposed Cantonment Metro station, claiming problems in acquiring Railway land. This evoked criticism among residents as well as railway activists. Meanwhile, a release from SWR said: “In May this year, BMRCL has asked South Western Railway for temporary allocation of about 16,000 sqm of land for four years and permanent licensing of about 2,500 square metres land near Cantonment Railway station for the Metro construction work. In this connection a joint site survey has been proposed in order to identify the exact requirement of land, possibility of its sparing and taking up process for transfer of land there after.”
“The issue is under discussion and will be finalized after feasibility study and mutual dialogue between SWR and BMRCL. All the issues referred to Railways including easy transit between Cantonment Railway and metro stations will be taken into account. It is a fact that certain area is identified for composite station development work for which tender has already been floated,” the release said.
Further, SWR stated that Railway Board’s letter of June 1, 2016 permits Railways to allow operating rights to Metro based on Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted for the project even without actual transfer of land. “Generally. Railway processes land acquisition through state government, for all it’s works of new line, doubling etc”, it adds.
‘BMRCL now stands exposed’
Rajkumar Dugar, a resident of Vasanth Nagar said BMRCL modified the alignment in such a way that the proposed Metro station would come at least 1.5 km away from the Cantonment railway station. “BMRCL has been blaming SWR for the non-availability of land to set up a metro station near the Cantonment Railway station. With SWR’s clarification, they are now exposed and have no answer. A metro station next to the station will help rail passengers and ensures last mile connectivity,” he said. “BMRCL is setting up a station in Bamboo Bazaar for the reasons best known to them. BMRCL maintains that proposed Cantonment station near Bamboo Bazaar is only 250 metres but actual distance is more than 1.5km,” he added.