BENGALURU: The shifting of a live gas pipeline crucial to faciltiate construction of the Veerannapalya Metro station on the KR Puram-Kempegowda International Airport Line (Phase 2B) has suffered a major delay as materials required to lay a new pipeline have been stolen, said sources. A new consignment is arriving from Uttar Pradesh and work might start in a couple of days.
The Phase 2B line runs to 37 km and has 17 stations with Veerannapalya positioned between Nagawara and Kempapura stations, close to the Embassy Manyata Business Park. The contract to shift this 750m gas pipeline of the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) is being done by Aakash Constructions.
“After the new gas pipeline is readied and the gas flow shifted to it, only then can the old underground pipeline that runs 5 metres below the ground be removed. No work has been done in connection with the shifting in the last fortnight. This is because the equipments required to ready the new pipeline and other materials required to lay it have been stolen,” said a reliable BMRCL source. The same was conveyed by GAIL to Metro officials in a meeting held on Tuesday.
Another source said, “BMRCL has extended the deadline to shift the pipeline up to January 2023 now. It was supposed to be completed by the end of this year.” Another individual familiar with the developments claimed it was not theft of materials, but a blunder by the contractor in bringing in fewer quantity of welding materials. “On realising that it would not be enough, more material is being bought from UP. It is not available easily anywhere else.”
Metro work is being carried out on areas on either side of the station from Hebbal as well as Nagawara. “No work has started for this station here and it is severely inconveniencing other construction work done along this stretch,” an official said.