Phase II of Namma Metro surges in full swing

Bengaluru: The second phase of ‘Namma Metro’-Baiyappanahalli - Whitefield (reach1) extension work is on in full swing and what is remarkable is the fact that work on 30 concrete pillars has been completed in six months.

The project has 579 concrete pillars in total and out of this 18 pillars from Baiyappanahalli to Visvesvaraya Industrial Area Station and another 12 pillars ahead from there have been completed. The first one is considered as Reach 1 and the second work has been considered as Reach 2. ITD Cementation India Company is working on both the packages.

The installation work of concrete pillars is in progress at Lawrence School, Mahadevapura, Hoodi, ITPL and Hope Farms. Foundation has also being laid in many places, said an official. All the works are on track and officials hope that the chunk of work finishes by 2020.

The second phase of the metro requires to demolish hundreds of buildings, out of which 102 buildings have been demolished already and 20 buildings are yet to be demolished. Shifting of UGDs, drinking water pipelines, widening paths and diversion of traffic are few other challenges being faced during the work.

Baiyappanahalli White Field road is known for heavy traffic. “So, the contractors have appointed traffic marshals to allow smooth movement of vehicles,” said a Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) official. Besides this, the BMRCL has paid Rs 64 cr to the KPTCL to shift 220 kw electric wires from Kundalahalli station to Sathya Sai Hospital.