BENGALURU: Three major bottlenecks for the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line were cleared recently, paving the way for the smooth opening of Reach-1A & 1B lines of Metro’s Phase-II by December-end, as scheduled. The 15.25-km elevated line will have 13 Metro stations and a new depot at Kadugodi.
BMRCL Managing Director Anjum Parwez said, “The Railway Board has given in-principle approval for the 3,500 sqm of land that BMRCL required near KR Puram station for widening the road. We are giving them equal land in exchange.”
General Manager, Land Acquisition, M S Channappagoudar said, “This is a big breakthrough as we had been requesting for almost a year. We have identified an equal portion of land to be handed over to BMRCL. It is in the possession of BDA and they have agreed to transfer it.”This will facilitate laying of the road between Tin Factory and KR Puram towards Marathahalli and Whitefield. “We have already obtained the remaining land from private parties, and widening work has begun,” he said.
The line also required some land on the Benniganahalli Lake bund to lay Metro pillars and road work. “We have created a Diaphragm Wall running 14 metres, which goes from the top of the lake bund to below the lake. This is to prevent water from gushing onto our structures. The work has begun here now,” the MD said.
Bengaluru Railway Division has also given BMRCL the green signal to take the Metro network forward over the Salem railway line near Benniganahalli. “We need to put in place our elevated structure running 65 metres above the line and Railways has given us permission,” Parwez said. A height clearance of over 8 metres above the railway line needs to be maintained, an official added.