Diversionary tactics? :) September 4, 2009
Posted by nammametrotales in Construction, Safety.Tags: namma metro, namma metro bengaluru
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Due to Metro Rail work near Anil Kumble Circle, the police have decided to temporarily ban traffic movement between Anil Kumble Circle and Central Street at BRV Circle from September 1 to September 10.
BMTC buses and light commercial vehicles coming from Residency Road and Ashoknagar to St Mark’s Road will have to go through Ashirwadam Circle and reach Mayo Hall junction. Then they have to take a left-turn on MG Road, drive straight and take a right-turn to K Kamaraj Road and Cubbon Road or towards Shivajinagar.
Vehicles coming from City Market on Kasturaba Road have to take a left-turn at Queen’s Circle, proceed towards Thimmaiah Circle, take another right-turn and reach Balekundri Circle and Shivajinagar.
Since Vittal Mallya Road is being developed, one-way rule has been enforced here. Vehicles can’t enter UB City Road from Cubbon Park. They have to go around Mallya Hospital Road.
Vehicles are also not allowed to come from Kasturaba Road and have to pass through Mallya Hospital Road.
Boy, my head is spinning trying to visualise how to move about in traffic given the restrictions above!!
BMRC says ‘Balls to you’ to cricket stadium authorities September 3, 2009
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Actually, the TOI report of Sep 2nd is not as cheeky as I made it out to be with the headline.
Here’s a shocker for cricket lovers. The Metro Rail may seriously hamper access to a significant portion of the Chinnaswamy Stadium – the north-eastern side on Cubbon Road – which seats nearly 15,000 spectators.
Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, KSCA president, and Brijesh Patel, KSCA secretary appear shocked, of course.
Patel said: ‘‘They first said the trains will not touch the stadium and will go underground. Now, they say they will take over the land which will affect entry to the stadium. It will cause inconvenience to spectators. We will be forced to raise the height of the ramp. We told them to go underground a few feet before the diversion to Cubbon Road, so that the stadium need not be disturbed. But they do not want to listen to us. For us, it means 15,000 seats in the stadium will get isolated.’’
Patel was, however, quick to clarify: ‘‘We are not against the Metro project. But there can always be a realignment. The stadium is historical. More importantly, we are in line to host matches during the nextWorld Cup in 2011. It has to be a win-win situation.”
Patel also clarified that no part of the stadium will need to be demolished. But the realignment is going to make entry to, and exit from, the Eastern and Northern stands difficult, forcing the KSCA to build a ramp above the Metro. Even if that is possible, the catering areas for the 15,000-odd spectators who will occupy those stands will be almost impossible to create, he said.
Wadiyar, the royal scion, says ” We will apprise CM B S Yeddyurappa about the issue. We will also approach Karnataka ministers at the Centre – S M Krishna, Mallikarjuna M Kharge and M Veerappa Moily – to fight for our cause….”
BMRC’s stand?
‘We have held several meetings with them, and they are completely in the know of things. This project was approved in 2005, and they know about it. We have to look at entire Bangalore and its 50 lakh people who will use the train,’’ BLY Chavan, BMRC spokesperson, told TOI.
With all these slanging matches, one wonders just who is playing with who? Is it a level field?
Your guess is as good as mine!
Do you hear me? August 12, 2009
Posted by nammametrotales in Construction.comments closed
Judging by this report, one can almost picture the right honorable judge wagging a pointed finger at BMRCL saying:
Do not finalise the tender till I tell you, dig?
Goodbye soon, Majestic bus stand? August 10, 2009
Posted by nammametrotales in Uncategorized.Tags: namma metro, namma metro bengaluru
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The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is set to hand over portions oThe Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is set to hand over portions of its land at the Kempe Gowda Bus Station to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) to facilitate construction of the underground Metro Stations.f its land at the Kempe Gowda Bus Station to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) to facilitate construction of the underground Metro Stations.
From the Hindu of 10th August
Wow Wow August 8, 2009
Posted by nammametrotales in Construction, Govt. Announcements, Initiatives.Tags: namma metro, namma metro bengaluru
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One cannot but help marvel at the initiative of the Chief Minister in instituting a watch dog committee to oversee ongoing civil works of Namma Metro.
This watch dog committee has been named ****drum roll, please**** The Task Force on Quality Assurance in Public Works.
One can only hope its bark will be worse than its bite.
The direction to the Task Force came from the Chief Minister in the wake of Monday’s incident on CMH Road where a steel cage for building a pier bent and other preceding accidents on Namma Metro worksites, Task Force Chairman C.S. Vishwanth told presspersons here on Thursday
From a report by the Hindu.
Being hauled over coals July 29, 2009
Posted by nammametrotales in Construction, Opinion, Safety.Tags: namma metro, namma metro bengaluru
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Judging by this development, it should not be a surprise if the top brass at Gammon India have broken into a cold sweat.
Delhi Metro, the country’s most ambitious infrastructure project, has served Mumbai-based construction giant Gammon India a show-cause notice, asking why it should not be banned for two years and debarred from bidding for contracts under phase IV of the project. [ Rediff News ]
For not only do they loose the DMRC project & their goodwill, but also derailment of their plans in building Reach 1 of the Namma Metro Project here at Bangalore.
The Times of India reports on this issue here.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) officials and Gammon India representatives in Bangalore are waiting for directives from the Union government for any further change of plan.
Its anybody’s guess what’s going to transpire in the coming days ahead.
A check in time saves … July 27, 2009
Posted by nammametrotales in Other Metro projects.Tags: DMRC
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Whoops. Had this not been spotted, would it have caused another tragedy?
Cracks have been noticed on two piers with cantilevers on the newly constructed Yamuna Bank- Noida Metro line during an inspection of all Metro structures, a move taken up after the July 12 mishap which claimed six lives.
The piers were inspected by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation managing director E Sreedharan, who has ordered a detailed inspection of one of the cracks. The other, he observed, is superficial.
Sreedharan, who inspected the piers, said: “Both the hairline cracks seem to be superficial and related to masonry, which doesn’t have a bearing on the strength of the piers. But we are not willing to take any chances now. This is why a more detailed investigation has been ordered into one of the cracks.”
Incidentally, the Noida stretch has been constructed by Gammon India who are facing the heat themselves.
This timely check has perhaps saved their reputation from being set afire, methinks.
Further reading on this TOI & Deccan Herald report. Plenty more here.
Cost overruns July 26, 2009
Posted by nammametrotales in Construction, Project Costs.Tags: namm, namma metro bengaluru
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This news was only to be expected (TOI, Blore July 25, 2009)
The Bangalore Metro project has become costlier
Such projects that involve scale and time invariably will go beyond board. The notable exception has been the Delhi Metro but it would be unrealistic to expect every other Metro to perform likewise.
Nevertheless, these statistics are note-worthy:
- With the current cost being Rs 8,100 for 43.2-km network, the average cost per km works out at Rs 191 crore.
- The 36.2-km elevated rail’s cost is Rs 170 crore/km while the 7-km underground stretch cost has been put at Rs 360 crore/km.
- The tunnel-boring machines, being manufactured in Germany, will arrive after 12 months.
Crime Branch? July 25, 2009
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This is news:
Delhi Police transferred to its Crime Branch investigations of two Metro accidents at an under-construction bridge in south Delhi July 12 and 13.
We have transferred the cases to Crime Branch,” said assistant commissioner of police Rajan Bhagat.
Six people, including an engineer, were killed and over a dozen injured when an under-construction elevated section of Metro tracks collapsed in Zamrudpur of south Delhi July 12.
Six people were injured the next day when three cranes snapped and one toppled over during debri-clearance operations at the accident site.
Ouch. Does this mean that DMRC Chief – as heading the organisation – will be held criminally liable in case the cops prove so?
One shudders at the very thought!
Mumbai woes July 24, 2009
Posted by nammametrotales in Opinion, Other Metro projects.add a comment
Well, if it is Gammon India who’s facing the heat in Delhi for the July 12 & 13 accidents, in Mumbai, it is Simplex Infrastructure.
On July 13, the temporary steel scaffolding that had been put up during the metro construction fell due to strong winds. The inquiry report states that the civil contractor should have taken necessary precautions.
“Prima-facie it seems that the contractor, Simplex Infrastructure, has not followed the guidelines and is at fault,” a Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd spokesperson told Newsline.
One wonder’s who’s next as Metro projects commence all over the country.
Bhopal & Indore to have Metro Rail? Here’s the story.
