BENGALURU: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) seems to be well satisfied with its decision to carry out its own planning for its projects. The corporation feels that the move has not only helped it save money but also ensured accessibility of planners in case there is a need to carry out realignments.
Presently, a 50-strong team of technically skilled personnel are giving the final touches to the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed Metro link to the Kempegowda International Airport from Nagavara. It is expected to be made public soon.
This is the second time that BMRCL is planning a major venture on its own. The only other time it had prepared its project in-house was for the 17-km line from Outer Ring Road (ORR) to K R Puram (Phase-2A) which was released in November 2016. The foray proved to be successful and the final report was approved by the State cabinet.
BMRCL Managing Director, Pradeep Singh Kharola told Express: “According to the present rates, anywhere between Rs 60 lakh and Rs 70 lakh per kilometre needs to be paid as DPR charges to the organisation which does the work for us.” Going by this figure, the in-house preparation of the ORR report has helped BMRCL save around Rs 14 crore while the airport link will save us Rs 21 crore, the MD said. Asked if this sum mattered to an organisation involved in projects running into thousands of crores, Kharola said, “Every rupee saved matters to us.”
Questioned about the technical competence of its in-house team, the MD said, “If we can build the Metro, we definitely have the expertise to ready the DPR.” Having the staff readily available on hand also saves time, he said.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had prepared the DPR for Namma Metro’s phase-I and phase-II, said a top official. Foreign consultants were utilised for guidance and supervision, he said. “We paid around Rs 12 crore for the DPR readied for Phase-II in 2011.” Another official said that BMRCL had paid around Rs 6 crore for the DPR for Phase-I. “It is only a rough estimate for the DPR which was readied in 2002.”
Tenders for Nagasandra, Dasarahalli subways soon
BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola said that he had instructed officials to call for tenders to construct the pedestrian subways at Nagasandra and Dasarahalli at the earliest. “We had planned to call for them in a month’s time but I have now asked my staff to expedite the process.” Express had highlighted the risk undertaken by pedestrians to dash across the National Highway to reach these Metro stations due to the delay in putting the underpasses in place.