Sunday, October 23, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
INFRASTRUCTURE PROMISES TO PUSH CITY'S REALTY MARKET
The Metro Rail,elevated roads and better connectivity thanks to the host of infrastructure projects on will have an impact on property prices.They will also create more demand for property across the city
The Metro Rail is a new landmark.It is as significant a factor as IT is,for the economy of the city.The boom in many spaces is attributed to a significant push from the IT sector.In the months ahead,the Metro too will be a major contributor.To use a phrase much-bandied-about these days,the Metro will be a game-changer.A sector that will benefit hugely from the Metro is real estate.
There is much happening in Bangalore on the infrastructure front.The elevated roads over Hosur Road and Tumkur Road added a new dimension to the localities around.The elevated road over Bellary Road promises the same in north Bangalore too.Just as the Outer Ring Road pushed the pace of real estate development in the city earlier,these infrastructure projects,especially the Metro,promise another significant thrust.
If the global economy and its impact on domestic markets was the question prospective home buyers had,infrastructure and its impact on realty is the answer.There is no other factor that has such a decisive impact on the property market.This is more so in the case of Bangalore with the large number of people moving in year after year.The need for housing is ever increasing.
The Metro,and other connectivity projects,promise to create a potential environment for economic activity.This will lead to more jobs,and therefore career-seekers from other locations moving in.It will lead to entrepreneurs coming into the city to tap its vast potential.A basic requirement for any economic activity is a suitable space.The many options available in both residential and commercial spaces are geared to meet the anticipated demand.
Increasingly,the domestic economy is bucking the global trend in some spheres.The strong consumer base here is fueling demand.The huge shortfall of homes in urban locations will keep demand buoyant.Also,the phenomenon of rapid urbanization will mean more demand for homes.Housing will always be in demand here.
There are indications that home loan interest rates are at their peak levels.From here on,they will most-likely move downwards.The inflation rate dropping will also lead to a drop in the home loan interest rates.In the meanwhile,costs of construction are going up.In such a scenario,a prospective home buyer will do well to make his move early.
Even as the Metro demonstrates its effect on connectivity in the Reach I corridor,the impact will be felt across the network.The convenience of speed and comfort will make many destinations virtually 'heart of the city',commanding a premium value.Likewise,property options in the localities connected better thanks to the elevated roads and widened Hosur Road will command higher prices.
Infrastructure,not global economic developments or market sentiments,is driving the city's property market.
Commuters Take on Namma Metro
JEENA JOY ENGINEERING STUDENT
| rode the London Metro when I was a child.But I was just as excited about riding Namma Metro.The happiness was no less.In fact,I am proud to say that our Metro is almost similar to that of London’s.I came with a group of friends as it was for the first time.There were no glitches or hurdles anywhere.
MAHESH KUMAR ASSISTANT MANAGER,KSFC
| took a ride on the inaugural day and came again today because I can’t get enough of the comfort that comes with travelling in the mass rapid transit system.I think the BMRC should hasten the other reaches in the city too so that its utility can be realised by all Bangaloreans.It will make a difference.
NITHIN JADHAV TECHIE
This is the first time I rode a Metro and it felt simply out of this world.It is fast and comfortable.The facilities too are are impressive.No doubt,it is only a matter of time before it becomes a substitute for other modes of transport like two-wheelers and cars.People are bound to prefer the Metro.
HRUTIKA BHASKER CLASS 5 STUDENT
| loved the Metro.The ride was just awesome.My parents brought me and my brother so that we could experience the train journey together as a family.We saw Bangalore from a height.The view was amazing.It looks beautiful.We enjoyed every moment of it and we will be back for more.
SUKUMAR GS HEALTH CONSULTANT
| felt as if we are in some foreign country.The amenities are world-class and the speed was fascinating.But I think maintenance will be quite a challenge for the BMRC till people realise how to behave in such advanced mass transit systems.It remains to be seen how it will be tackled by authorities.
The men who engineered the entire process
You dont need an IIT background to deliver the best engineering systems.The core Bangalore Metro civil,electrical and electronics team just proved it.With the exception of a couple of members,they're all from non-IIT backgrounds but have delivered arguably the most modern Metro in the country.
Shankar A S,Brajendra Kumar,Mahesh S M and R Kamalakaran are the brains behind the signalling,telecom and automation.They told TOI: Delhi Metro is impressed by the automation here and decided to take the automatic fare collection (AFC) model from us for its next phase.The model has not been implemented anywhere in the world.An official from the Asia Pacific region called to learn how it can be implemented there.
After buying the smart card at stations,commuters can approach any SBI ATM and top up their cards without having to wait in queue.We integrated the Metro rail and banking computer systems that hasnt been done anywhere else.Give one instruction the first time and just forget about having to go to any station to buy a ticket.Its seamless travel, they said.
This team also set up the automatic train protection and supervision system in which the train senses a train in front and comes to a halt.Electrical engineer B Gopinath Mallya and his team set up the third rail system which carries the electricity for the train.Kolkata had the third rail first in the country.Our system transfers energy from one train to the other automatically.Its the best in the world, he said.
N P Sharma,Renuka Prasad and V S Prasad are the brains behind the structural design.Weve set up design parameters for tracks,power,kinetic structure,third rail,curvature,train section,tilts at curves,depots,pre-engineered buildings and buildings on piles.We built a prototype,set standards and a manual for the Metro rail here which can be replicated in all the other phases, they said with a hint of pride in their voices.
PRETTY GOOD,HUH A proud moment and much to smile about,the men who comprise the core Metro team review their work at the M G Road station on Friday
SECOND DAY HOUSEFUL
The day after the euphoric inaugural of the Metro,joy riders gave way to office-goers who had figured out ways to make the most of this service
ITS PAYBACK TIME FOR NAMMA METRO
After having met the aspirations of Bangaloreans,the mass rapid transit system now has hundreds of accounts to settle.
Traders along CMH Road and MG Road whose business took a beating in the four years when the Metro was under construction are now pinning their hopes on it for the resurrection of their business.
The project brought down buildings and rendered thriving enterprises islands as all approach roads stood erased.Business nose-dived and several traders shut shop.
The traders though have maintained an account of their losses they say the project took away 60% of their business.They are now hoping that Metro will not only pull them out of the red but also help them make up for the losses.
Customers just stopped coming to M G Road because of bad roads.Though the business picked up after the construction was complete,the increase was marginal: 15-20 %.We renovated our showroom 20 days before the Metro launch,hoping to get back customers.We are keeping our fingers crossed, Narender Bohra,owner of The Raymonds Shop on M G Road,said.
Venkatesh R,manager of Sridevi Restaurant of CMH Road,said: Since 2006,our accumulated business losses have touched Rs 24 lakh.We could sustain because of our businesses in other areas.We were told that we will have better business once Metro starts.We are hopeful but at the same time skeptical.
For KFC joint on MG Road,it was celebration time on Thursday.On the day of Metro launch,we saw a 20% increase in our business.We hope this will continue, Karunkaran R,shift manager,KFC,said.But not all traders had something to rejoice about.
Our store did not have the expected rush.It is surprising, said an employee of Cafe Coffee Day next to the CMH Road station.But the traders admit that it is too early to come to a conclusion.On Thursday evening there was a rush,which is a good sign.Over the week we will have people coming in as there is no food or beverages available inside the station, said Aiman Singh,manager,Anand Bhavan on CMH Road.We have to wait for another week or 10 days.We are also looking at tying up with Metro to increase our sales, Clement Arockiaraj P,area manager,Jus Booster on MG Road,said.We are expecting an increase in footfalls in the coming months and will be preparing for it, said Brahm Swaroop,manager,McDonalds,CMH Road.
RENT COULD BE A SPOILER
A group of traders feels that the damage done to their business by Metro just cant be undone.My neighbouring shopkeepers closed down and left as there was no business.The Metro promises better business,but I dont think the rent is affordable.It has doubled, said Rasheed Z,a storeowner on CMH Road.
SAY METRO : A woman smiles as she prepares to board the Metro with her baby for the first time
AGE NO BAR: A group of employees from IT company HP makes time to experience the train ride;
(left)students at the station;(right) a senior citizen awaits her turn
Commuters ditch Auto's For Namma Metro
After Thursdays euphoria,which had 60,000 people ride the Metro simply for the joy of it,on Day 2,actual commuters turned out in large numbers to own the train.A lot of people living around Byappanahalli and Indiranagar who work in the vicinity of MG Road ditched autorickshaws for a Metro-bus combination to reach their workplaces.
Thursdays was my last auto ride to work, said a media professional who works on MG Road,with a huge sigh of relief.A half-hour trip from Indiranagar that used to cost her Rs 35 by auto was accomplished on Friday in 6 minutes flat with a saving of Rs 25 to boot.
Its a story that repeated in many offices in the central business district.It would be interesting to observe in the coming weeks the Metros impact on auto-rickshaws.
Metro joyrides continue on Day 2
Enthusiastic commuters thronged Namma Metro stations to experience joy rides on the new train service in Bangalore city on the second day on Friday.
Though the trains crisscrossing the city’s landmark localities were not actually meant for joy rides, there will hardly be any complaints from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) as ticket counters looked busy on the second day running.
Euphoria over metro ride was obvious as queues overshot ticket counters at M G Road and Baiyappanahalli stations.
If the desolate look on Halasuru, Vivekananda Road and Trinity stations was any evidence, riders showed no sign of alighting the trains en route the two destinations.
That would hardly disappoint BMRCL, which needs to collect Rs 6 lakh per day to meet its costs, including staff salary, security and power. The first day it got Rs 7.53 lakh from 38,546 commuters. The corporation operated 45 trains and stretched its services beyond 10 pm.
By 7 pm on Friday, 39,639 people had commuted on the metro, providing a revenue of Rs 6.94 lakh.
Aware that the revenue may dip once the initial enthusiasm wears off, the BMRCL is currently trying to make the most of the interest shown by first-timers on the trains. There is, therefore, no talk on consistent revenue or breaking even for the time being.
If the commuter turnout remains strong, the BMRCL is prepared to operate additional services on Sundays and on Deepavali. Also on the corporation’s agenda is a train every eight minutes instead of the current 10 minutes, during peak hours on holidays.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
ALL SET TO MAKE US PROUD
The Metro is an affordable and efficient means of transport,says Akila Krishnakumar
The launch of Namma Metro is a very commendable first step in a larger and more holistic plan to address Bangalore's single largest infrastructure problem - mass rapid transit.
In this city that prides itself as an IT and R&D hub,businesses work hard to stay competitive,innovative,socially responsible and attractive to employees and their families.Namma Metro is a perfect enabler to all these goals and will be warmly welcomed and quickly embraced.
As an individual and as a corporate citizen of Bangalore,I am happy that there's now a safer,more affordable,more efficient and a more environment-friendly means of transport.The fact that the Metro is now ready to run commercially means we are past the proof of concept stage.It is now up to execution,which encompasses actions that are beyond the Metro service itself.To use a rather aggressive but apt phrase,the devil lies in the details.Be it in connecting buses,ample prepaid autos,parking lots for personal vehicles,ticketing systems or fare schedules - Namma Metro's success will lie in sustained service levels and continuous improvement.
Other city Metro systems in India have been widely chronicled as success stories.Reading about them made us envious and hopeful.They certainly raised the bar on Namma Metro's planners,engineers and workers.We will be glad to see the one-ways and potholes,traffic jams and road rage scenes go away around the route.As the city of opinionated technology natives rush to text,tweet and blog about Namma Metro,let us remember that it is Namma (our) Metro.
Keeping it clean,being courteous and following safety recommendations is a small part we can all play in making it Bangalore's next new pride.We should leave no room for the quintessential 'swalpa adjust maadi' attitude that creeps into all public services.
I wish the Namma Metro team all support and success and my fellow Bangaloreans a large and rightful dose of Namma Metro pride.
(The author is Chairperson,NASSCOM Karnataka Regional Council)
METRO SIGNALS THE ARRIVAL OF BANGALORE
The Metro means more than just the comfort of commuting across the city quickly and easily.It is about a more inclusive society.Harish Bijoor,a brand expert,elaborates on what the Metro also means,apart from a mass rapid transit system.
Bangalore has many tags - IT city,Garden City... now what after the Metro
The first big tag was that of Bangalore being a Garden City.The British did this and every Dewan took care to nurture it right.It then moved on to the extrinsic Pensioner's Paradise where it lingered for a long,long while.Bangalore was called a Pensioner's Paradise more by outsiders than those who lived in it.This image then morphed to Pub City rather fast with Bangalore's record number of 406 public drinking places.It lingered there awhile and then morphed to IT City.We should have really been called an End-to-end IT Services City,but it shortened conveniently to IT City.We even nearly got called India's Silicon City,though we did not have too much of silicon in the city.I do believe we are still there.
What next With the Metro hitting the city,we will hopefully be called a true-blue Metro City.The Metro in many ways signals the growing up of a city.The Metro adds a new life-line and with it a whole new zesty life-style to the city.Namma Metro signals the growing up of Bangalore.It is growing up from a sleepy old Pensioner's Paradise to a true-blue big city,with big city needs and desires,and aspirations to boot.
I think Bangalore has gone places in its imagery with people internal and external.The dominant images of 'gardens','sleep'and 'drinking places' gave way to an image of 'technology'.This was a move up.Some would of course say it was a move down,but then it is a matter of perspective.But then,technology is a niche representation of Bangalore.Bangalore is much more.
Namma Metro in many ways will knit the diverse niches with the masses.In many ways,the Metro will knit the diverse differences of this city into one-ness.You will see the high-end tech worker traveling together with the mason in a hurry to reach his workplace.In many ways,the Metro will bring in inclusiveness - something missing in Bangalore.Bangalore is unfortunately polarised between those who have too much and those who have too little.The Metro will in many ways be the common cocoon of both,shattering the several other specific and class-oriented cocoons we have built for ourselves over all these decades as Bangalore morphed in its image and income stances.
Here's to the common cocoon of all then - Namma Metro.If it brings the Bangalore populace that much closer than before,knitting together the discomfiting diversity of Bangalore into one common tapestry of comfort,I do believe the Metro would have served a purpose much larger than that of common comfort commute.I see Namma Metro as a large knitting needle that is going to knit together the future tapestry of Bangalore into a city comfortable with its diversity and happy in its polarities lying at distant ends.
How important is a Metro Rail for any city What will it mean for Brand Bangalore
The Metro Rail adds the image of comfortable commute to any city.It adds the dimension of a planned city to the resume of the city.If the airport and railway stations are visiting cards of the city that tell a visitor what to expect in a the city,the Metro is the real nuts and bolts image of the city.It represents,in many ways,the urge of the city to be that much more ready for the future.
The Metro Rail means reaching adolescence for a city.It also means cutting down transit time.Time thus saved could be used to spend with family,at a gym,with friends,or helping out at an NGO.
For Brand Bangalore,Namma Metro will represent two dominant issues.One is the cosmetic image issue.Here,the Metro adds positive strokes to the image of Bangalore as a city that has arrived.This is largely specific to those who do not live in Bangalore.At the other end is the functional image of brand Bangalore.Here,it will add the dimension of comfort to the city and the users of the Metro.These positive strokes of actual usage are far greater than the cosmetic image strokes.This image is specific to those who live in Bangalore.
I am excited about Brand Bangalore.Look at the old image of the city - a completely crowded airport where you had to stand in long queues to even enter the building,the image of over-crowded buses which no one wanted to board but were forced to.Now look at the new city: A swank new airport,a comfortable railway station (Bangalore Cantonment in particular),swanky air conditioned buses on the roads,and now Namma Metro.
Isn't this enough to be excited about
What sort of selling point will the Metro be for the city to draw more entrepreneurs
Comfort commute,speed of commute and the image of a more inclusive city are all strong magnets of positivism.Namma Metro brings all this.Bangalore is already known to be a tolerant,secular and 'adjusting' city.The Metro will add to this.Entrepreneurs love peaceful and inclusive cities.Bangalore can be one.
Look at the brand name of the Metro Rail system itself - Namma Metro.I remember being invited to be part of the jury to decide on the logo and brand image for the Metro Rail system many years ago by the BMRCL.After poring through hundreds of entries,what excited me personally was the 'rangoli' design that we finally picked as the logo for the Metro Rail system.The rangoli design excites me as this is a dominant symbol that we draw in front of our homes in Karnataka,and indeed in large parts of the country,with rice powder.
This entire device is all about intricacy,design,inclusiveness and indeed circuitous commute.It is largely an inclusive design,as the idea of drawing this design in front of our houses with rice powder is not really for the cosmetic purpose one generally assumes.The idea is to ensure that the small little insects and ants that live around our houses also feed well.And that is as inclusive as it all gets.
The brand name 'Namma Metro' excites me equally.'Namma'in Kannada means 'ours'.I have looked at many names of Metros across the world,but have not come across a single one that is as ownership-driven and inclusive as 'Namma Metro'.
Therefore,cheers to Namma Metro.It belongs to us all.
How do you use the Metro to its optimum level as a tool to brand Bangalore as an efficient city
We need to exhibit pride in this new symbol of new Bangalore.In many ways,this symbol belongs to Karnataka at large as well.We have proudly showcased it at the recently-concluded Dasara celebrations in Mysore as a tableau of much impact.We need to take ownership of this new property and that will do it all.The more we keep it clean and the more we own it,and the more we use it,will tell it all.
I do believe this new symbol of Namma Metro will figure prominently in all literature and websites,and everything that is put out about Bangalore.The Metro will therefore be a symbol of new Bangalore.
Will the Metro help the city's trade and commerce
It will.People will be able to commute that much faster,at least on the stretch of first availability.Faster commute means a quicker ability to reach places and get work done.Bangaloreans will be able to stop postponing meetings because of long commute times.
Impulse-commutes will also be possible,where you decide quickly to meet someone,and head out and meet them for sure,without planning for days,and without waiting to club all sets of meetings in the same direction and location.This is good for both commerce and personal lives at large.The Metro Rail will improve the quality of life and living in the city.
Will the Metro Rail be a value-add for tourism
Yes it will.It is important for the Metro Rail to offer tourists day and weekly passes.Most tourists love to explore cities across the world on the Metro Rail system.The Metro is normally seen to be comfortable,safe,predictable,easy-to-use and inexpensive.The Metro Rail system will make the city and its delights in terms of places to see,places to eat at,and places to entertain themselves at,that much more accessible.
Across the stations of the Metro,you can expect to see a larger number of visitors exploring the nook and cranny of what is on offer.Businesses of every kind around each of these 17 stations are poised to see a brisk growth.For all the discomfort these businesses faced while the Metro was coming up,this is the time to reap rich dividends.
That little handicrafts place on Magadi Road and that little idli joint at Baiyappanahalli is going to get onto the map of easilyaccessible Bangalore at last.
Have the Metro Rail systems abroad in major cities played a role in their development
Absolutely.The track record of business growth is impressive across Metro station locales.There is specific data available from Kuala Lumpur.A small little Momo restaurant saw a growth of 1,200 percent in revenues in just four months of the Metro opening up some 200 yards away.A foot-reflexology centre there also reports a growth of 320 percent in terms of walk-ins.A cafe reports a walk-in increase of 170 percent.
The Metro means progress,ease of commute,better access into the gut of a city,better business and a lot of savings in terms of commute time.Let's look forward to this and make the best of it.
GET SET FOR SOME METRO ACTION
KNOW YOUR STATION
BYAPPANAHALLI TO CRICKET STADIUM
Viaduct:
The piers have been completed at all the 222 locations All girder segments have been cast and segment launching of all girders has been completed from Byappanahalli to Cricket stadium.
Stations:
All work is completed in all stations along Reach 1.
MAGADI RD TO MYSORE ROAD TERMINAL
Viaduct:
1143 piles have been completed out of 1173,185 piers out of 242 and 1496 segments cast out of 2117.Launching of 112 girders has been completed
Stations:
99 percent of foundation works completed.Construction of concourse level pier and pier arm at Magadi Road completed.Four Platform Level Pier arm completed out of 10 and other stations.
SWASTIK TO YESHWANTHPUR
Viaduct:
870 piles are completed out of 909,170 piers are cast out of 204 and segments launching of 111 spans completed.
Stations:
50 percent of work is completed in Yeshwanthpur Soap factory and Mahalakshmi stations.53.75 percent of work is completed in Rajajinagar,Kuvempu Road and Malleshwaram stations.
YESHWANTHPUR TO PEENYA DEPOT
Viaduct:
The construction work has started and piling work is in progress.878 piles have been completed out of 944 and 815 segment casting has been completed out of 1280.Launching of 45 spans completed.
Stations:
Peenya Industrial Area Station: 194 piles completed.
PEENYA VILLAGE STATION TO HESSARGHATTA CROSS STATION
Viaduct:
207 out of 450 working piles are completed at viaduct portion.
Stations:
Jalahalli Station: All working piles completed.12 piers upto concourse level completed out of 20
K R MARKET TO RV ROAD
Viaduct:
Segment casting is complete.146 piers out of 147 and 100 parapet erections complete.
Stations
: 81 percent of work is completed in KR Road,75 percent of work in Lalbagh and 58 percent in South End Circle stations,around 65 percent of work is completed in Jayanagar station,and 64 percent of work is completed in RV Road Station.
RV ROAD TO PUTTENAHALLI CROSS
Viaduct:
3 test piles have been completed.468 piles have been completed out of 550 and 63 pile caps completed out of 141 and 58 piers have been completed out of 141.
Stations:
5 test piles have been completed.409 piles have been completed out of 480.38 pile caps completed out of 72.
LOCATION: TRINITY
ENTRY: M G ROAD (EITHER SIDES)
EXIT:ON EITHER SIDE OF M G ROAD
TICKET COUNTER LOCATION:AT BOTH ENTRANCES
SERVICES NEARBY: HOTELS,BANKS AND SHOPPING AVENUES
GREEN SIGNAL FOR GROWTH
THE METRO ROLLS FROM TODAY.IT IS A HISTORIC AND MOMENTOUS OCCASION.BANGALORE HAS ANOTHER FEATHER IN THE CAP.B S MANU RAO OUTLINES WHAT IT ENTAILS FOR THIS GROWING REGIONAL POWERHOUSE
It is a historic day for the city.It is the day when the city turns a corner.Bangalore's salubrious climate,cosmopolitan culture and talent pool have been drawing the IT industry,making the city a knowledge hub in the region.Bangalore has been drawing many seeking a career,and entrepreneurial opportunity,over the last couple of decades.The result is a growing populace and demand for infrastructure.
If there was one factor that went against the glittering image of Bangalore as a great city to live in,it was the traffic condition.And this was natural given the steady influx of people into the city from all over the country.The city's roads with a capacity to hold seven lakh vehicles had over 30 lakhs ferrying a population that is close to a crore.
The Metro was the need of the hour.
Like any large city in the world,Bangalore too will find the Metro to be a catalyst in its growth and commercial development.It will lead to opening up of more opportunities for entrepreneurs,and more business for the retail trade.A Metro,in a way,reflects the culture of a city.Bangalore is a cultural melting pot.People representing every region across the nation live here and find it comfortable.It offers them a chance to ply their trade and tap the vast potential of the land,to prosper and move up the economic ladder.It is a city for litterateurs,technocrats,businessmen in fact,anyone who has an idea and the verve to try it.The rapid mass transit system,making it possible to cross the length and breadth of the city inside half an hour once complete,will facilitate the shaping of many an idea.
Connectivity holds the key to commercial development.Hours spent locked in cars is valuable time wasted.The time saved,thanks to the Metro,will go into productive work.More value will be created and delivered by enterprises.The city will become a larger market.A convenient city draws more people and creates a bigger talent pool for corporates to pick from.It then leads to more corporates looking at the city as a base.
The Metro creates a better social life for all,promotes interaction and fosters development.The flagging off today is also a green signal for the commercial development that is bound to roll in.
Monday, October 17, 2011
After Metro, Bengaluru set for High Speed Rail Link
The High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) project, aimed at providing faster
access to the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), could well see the
light of day with the State government asking Bangalore Metro Rail
Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to implement the project, with certain
modifications.
The project has been pending before the Union urban development
ministry for some time now due to lack of clarity on the modalities of
implementation of the project. With the project being handed over to the
BMRCL, the decks have been cleared for the HSRL project.
“The concept of business class and economy class, with differential
fares, as followed by airlines, will be adopted for HSRL” said BMRCL
managing director N. Sivasailam. Asked if the project will remain
exclusively for airport connectivity, Mr Sivasailam said market forces
will decide on this.
He however, hinted that it will cater to other passengers apart from the airport passengers en route to BIA.
The BMRCL will now invite requests for proposal (RFP) from bidders.
Five bidders have already been selected during the request for
qualification by the Karnataka State Industrial Infrastructure
Development Corporation (KSIIDC). After opening the qualification bids,
BMRCL will suggest to the state government whether to go ahead with the
same RFP or to call for fresh RFP, said sources.
Earlier, the state government had formed a special purpose vehicle
for the project under KSIIDC. The project was earlier sought to be
executed under public-private partnership (PPP).
Get connected
* The 35-km rail link to the airport, estimated to cost Rs 5,800 crore, will help reach BIA within 30 minutes
* Route will have stations at Cubbon Road, Hebbal and Yelahanka
* The state government has assured BMRCL of providing land along Sankey Road, Ramana Maharshi Road and Bellary Road free of cost
Sunday, October 16, 2011
BMRCL now also gets high speed rail project
The State Government has asked the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) to take over the contentious High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) expected to connect the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) with BRV Parade Grounds in the heart of the City.
The project whose request for qualification (RFQ) was about to be invited from interested bidders will now be taken over by the BMRCL. Thus, the Bangalore Airport Rail Link Ltd which was formed as a special purpose vehicle for the project under the Karnataka State
Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) has now been closed.
BMRCL Managing Director N Sivasailam said that the Corporation would now start selecting the private party among the five eligible bidders who qualified at the RFQ stage. When asked whether the line would remain a high-speed link catering exclusively to the airport or would be made a metro line, Sivasailam said that market forces will decide the matter as the private party would certainly expect returns from the investment.
Viability gap funding
The State Government has committed to offer land, along Sankey Road, Ramana Maharshi Road and Bellary Road, free of cost for the project whereas the central government has agreed to offer 20 per cent viability gap funding.
This 35-km rail link to the airport was estimated to cost about Rs 5,800 crore and the distance sought to be covered within 30 minutes with stations at Cubbon Road, Hebbal and Yelahanka.
The project required about 66 hectares of land, including 13 hectares of government land, nine hectares of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) land and 44 hectares of private land. The cost of private land was estimated at Rs 532 crore at market value.
Sivasailam evaded a specific answer when asked whether the new line would continue to be HSRL or become Metro. He said the line could act as HSRL as well as Metro and the modalities would be decided later. Differential fare structure could be adopted for airport link and for regular metro stations en-route, he added.
A Metro train link to the airport could cover the distance in about 50 minutes according to a rough estimate, Sivasailam said.
The countdown begins
As the countdown has begun for the commercial launch of Metro Rail in Bangalore, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has intensified its preparedness to give a feel-good to the VVIPs visiting on October 20.
Carrying out an extensive inspection drive on Saturday as well, the Palike Commissioner Siddaiah directed the officials to ensure that cleanliness is maintained and no garbage piles up along the road from Trinity Circle to MG Road. He also directed the officers to see to it that the damaged footpath is repaired in this area.
He also asked the officials from Horticulture department to increase the greenery all over the area. During the inspection, the commissioner noticed that the painting of curb stones was not done properly, for which he took the officers to task.
The BBMP has already taken up asphalting of the road from MG Road to Trinity Circle on a war-footing. The Palike officials are confident that they would finish the work in the next two-three days. As the underground drains are choked leading to overflowing of sewage from some manholes near Trinity Circle, the BBMP officials asked the BWSSB authorities to clear the manholes.
The BBMP has decided that the roads along Reach I of Metro would also look similar to MG Road and Trinity Circle.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
NAMMA METRO IS A GEEK TRAIN
Technology Puts Bangalore Metro On Par With Trains Worldwide With A Safe,Speedy Ride
You can drink your coffee without spilling a drop: thats how stable the Bangalore Metro will be.
On October 20,when South Indias first Metro chugs in,the journey will be one that has used a wide range of the latest technologies used by metro rail systems worldwide.The Bangalore Metro,in terms of technology,is comparable to any metro rail system in the world in Europe,USA or China and is even ahead of some of them, BMRCL MD N Sivasailam
Sivasailam said Bangalore Metro runs on the ballastless track system used by 70% of the worlds metros.In laymans language,this means the track does not require stones used on traditional broad gauge track systems to build the track and run the train,as the load is lower than that of a conventional train.The tracks are laid on a concrete slab after assessing the engineering factors.Stones on the conventional track help in balanced construction,while in metro systems concrete slabs are enough, he said.The advantages of ballastless (stoneless) track systems are faster travel,longer lifecycle of the track,ride comfort,and no maintenance.Even at speeds of over 300km/h,your coffee will stay in your cup.
STANDARD GAUGE
The Bangalore Metro is standard gauge,a system used by most metros worldwide.Narrower than the broad gauge,it allows for greater manoeuvrability,easy ride along curves,laying of tracks even on narrow stretches and control.The standard gauge has a track width of 4ft,8.5inches,or 1,435mm,while the Indian broad gauge is 5ft,6inches,or 1,676mm.
ROLLING STOCK
The rolling stock (coaches/cars) are three stainless steel-bodied wagons.Though equipped with automated functions,the train will be under the drivers control.The seating capacity per train is approximately 1,000,giving more floor area to standing passengers.
The coaches are world-class,manufactured by Hyundai Rotem Korea and Mitsubishi Electric Company.BEML has the licence to manufacture coaches in Bangalore.While Mitsubishi supplied traction for the coaches,Hyundai Rotem supplied the rolling stock and BEML the coaches.
POWER IN THIRD RAIL
Electricity for the train will run on a third rail next to the main track.It has an opening at the bottom at points from where the train draws its power.The third rail is covered with a yellow shroud,and a person falling on the track wont be electrocuted.ABB will design,supply,install and commission four substations to receive and distribute electricity at 66/33 kV,as well as auxiliary and traction substations.
ABB will provide an integrated network management,or SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system to monitor and control installations.
TECH AIDS FOR PASSENGERS
Cameras will be installed inside the train as well as stations,and peoples movements will be monitored by an operations control centre at Byappanahalli.In case of any help or emergency,the control room will be able to see what went wrong.
Trains will be Wi-Fi enabled,so passengers can use laptops,tablets as well as mobile internet.
Passengers will have emergency voice communication with train staff through a speaker system.Passengers can press a call button to communicate anything urgent to the driver or control centre.Help will be at hand at the next station.
The integrated control centre will have direct communication with trains and stations which will be CCTV-fitted with visual and audio service information.Bangalore Metro also has automatic train supervision,protection and operation systems if theres a train on the same track ahead,the approaching train will sense it and come to a halt at a safe distance.
BMRCL officials told TOI the only aspect that could have been automated but was not,was the opening and closing of doors.We felt the driver needs to be alert.If everything is automated,the driver need not be in the train.So weve manually given the driver the option to open and close doors, they said.
Ticketing,too,is completely automated with just a swipe of the ticket,token or card at a particular point near the entry and exit,enabling the gates to open and close.
HIGH ON TECH
Ballastless track system Electricity runs on third rail Wi-fi enabled coaches,internet access Emergency call button Voice communication/speaker system between passengers,driver and control centre CCTVs inside stations and trains Automatic train supervision,safety and protection that will sense another train on the same track and come to a halt Stainless steel coaches made by Hyundai Rotem and Mitsubishi Automatic ticketing Recharge of metro cards through mobiles and SMS,a first in the world
On October 20,when South Indias first Metro chugs in,the journey will be one that has used a wide range of the latest technologies used by metro rail systems worldwide.The Bangalore Metro,in terms of technology,is comparable to any metro rail system in the world in Europe,USA or China and is even ahead of some of them, BMRCL MD N Sivasailam
Sivasailam said Bangalore Metro runs on the ballastless track system used by 70% of the worlds metros.In laymans language,this means the track does not require stones used on traditional broad gauge track systems to build the track and run the train,as the load is lower than that of a conventional train.The tracks are laid on a concrete slab after assessing the engineering factors.Stones on the conventional track help in balanced construction,while in metro systems concrete slabs are enough, he said.The advantages of ballastless (stoneless) track systems are faster travel,longer lifecycle of the track,ride comfort,and no maintenance.Even at speeds of over 300km/h,your coffee will stay in your cup.
STANDARD GAUGE
The Bangalore Metro is standard gauge,a system used by most metros worldwide.Narrower than the broad gauge,it allows for greater manoeuvrability,easy ride along curves,laying of tracks even on narrow stretches and control.The standard gauge has a track width of 4ft,8.5inches,or 1,435mm,while the Indian broad gauge is 5ft,6inches,or 1,676mm.
ROLLING STOCK
The rolling stock (coaches/cars) are three stainless steel-bodied wagons.Though equipped with automated functions,the train will be under the drivers control.The seating capacity per train is approximately 1,000,giving more floor area to standing passengers.
The coaches are world-class,manufactured by Hyundai Rotem Korea and Mitsubishi Electric Company.BEML has the licence to manufacture coaches in Bangalore.While Mitsubishi supplied traction for the coaches,Hyundai Rotem supplied the rolling stock and BEML the coaches.
POWER IN THIRD RAIL
Electricity for the train will run on a third rail next to the main track.It has an opening at the bottom at points from where the train draws its power.The third rail is covered with a yellow shroud,and a person falling on the track wont be electrocuted.ABB will design,supply,install and commission four substations to receive and distribute electricity at 66/33 kV,as well as auxiliary and traction substations.
ABB will provide an integrated network management,or SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system to monitor and control installations.
TECH AIDS FOR PASSENGERS
Cameras will be installed inside the train as well as stations,and peoples movements will be monitored by an operations control centre at Byappanahalli.In case of any help or emergency,the control room will be able to see what went wrong.
Trains will be Wi-Fi enabled,so passengers can use laptops,tablets as well as mobile internet.
Passengers will have emergency voice communication with train staff through a speaker system.Passengers can press a call button to communicate anything urgent to the driver or control centre.Help will be at hand at the next station.
The integrated control centre will have direct communication with trains and stations which will be CCTV-fitted with visual and audio service information.Bangalore Metro also has automatic train supervision,protection and operation systems if theres a train on the same track ahead,the approaching train will sense it and come to a halt at a safe distance.
BMRCL officials told TOI the only aspect that could have been automated but was not,was the opening and closing of doors.We felt the driver needs to be alert.If everything is automated,the driver need not be in the train.So weve manually given the driver the option to open and close doors, they said.
Ticketing,too,is completely automated with just a swipe of the ticket,token or card at a particular point near the entry and exit,enabling the gates to open and close.
HIGH ON TECH
Ballastless track system Electricity runs on third rail Wi-fi enabled coaches,internet access Emergency call button Voice communication/speaker system between passengers,driver and control centre CCTVs inside stations and trains Automatic train supervision,safety and protection that will sense another train on the same track and come to a halt Stainless steel coaches made by Hyundai Rotem and Mitsubishi Automatic ticketing Recharge of metro cards through mobiles and SMS,a first in the world
METRO REPLACES HSRL TO BIA
With just four days to go for the Bangalore Metro to chug,there is more good news.The trains run could be extended up to 11pm.With the High-Speed Rail Link having been scrapped,BMRC will build a Metro line to the Bengaluru International Airport.The government has cleared the extension of phase 2 to Whitefield.This means that trains to Byappanahalli will eventually run up to Whitefield.
READY TO CHUG
The government has given inprinciple clearance for the extension of Metro rail from Byappanahalli to Whitefield.This phase 2 of the project will be 18-km long and will have 17 stations.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) managing director N Sivasailam on Saturday said the state government has approved the detailed project report (DPR) and BMRC will now submit the DPR to the government for final approval in the next two weeks.
There is more good news.The BMRC will have a trunk line of 24km from IIM-B on Bannerghatta Road and Nagawara in North Bangalore,of which 15 km will be underground.
A high-powered panel approved an additional branch line
in Reach 4 to connect RV Road via BTM Layout,Central Silk Board and Electronic City which will culminate at Bommasandra.The above projects were cleared by a high-powered committee chaired by chief secretary, he said.
Asked if monorail was essential since the Metro was criss-crossing the city,Sivasailam said while theres no harm having different types of transport,monorail may generate intellectual property rights (IPR) issues.While there was a proposal for monorail connectivity from Central Silk Board to Hebbal,it has now come into the folds of Metro, he said.
SERVICE MAY BE EXTENDED
The Metro train will run up to 10pm.As of now,it will run only upto 10 pm.Depending on peoples patronage,we can extend till 11pm.We are open to it, Sivasailam said.
The BMRC has readied a 3D commemorative card as a collectors edition for the launch day October 20.The card will be available at all stations.The BMRC has printed 10,000 such cards and to be priced at Rs 1,000 until stocks last.
METRO REPLACES HSRL TO BIA
The controversial HSRL has been scrapped.The BMRC will now build a Metro rail to the Bangalore International Airport.The High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) proposed by the government was scheduled to run from Cubbon road to BIA.
READY TO CHUG
The government has given inprinciple clearance for the extension of Metro rail from Byappanahalli to Whitefield.This phase 2 of the project will be 18-km long and will have 17 stations.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) managing director N Sivasailam on Saturday said the state government has approved the detailed project report (DPR) and BMRC will now submit the DPR to the government for final approval in the next two weeks.
There is more good news.The BMRC will have a trunk line of 24km from IIM-B on Bannerghatta Road and Nagawara in North Bangalore,of which 15 km will be underground.
A high-powered panel approved an additional branch line
in Reach 4 to connect RV Road via BTM Layout,Central Silk Board and Electronic City which will culminate at Bommasandra.The above projects were cleared by a high-powered committee chaired by chief secretary, he said.
Asked if monorail was essential since the Metro was criss-crossing the city,Sivasailam said while theres no harm having different types of transport,monorail may generate intellectual property rights (IPR) issues.While there was a proposal for monorail connectivity from Central Silk Board to Hebbal,it has now come into the folds of Metro, he said.
SERVICE MAY BE EXTENDED
The Metro train will run up to 10pm.As of now,it will run only upto 10 pm.Depending on peoples patronage,we can extend till 11pm.We are open to it, Sivasailam said.
The BMRC has readied a 3D commemorative card as a collectors edition for the launch day October 20.The card will be available at all stations.The BMRC has printed 10,000 such cards and to be priced at Rs 1,000 until stocks last.
METRO REPLACES HSRL TO BIA
The controversial HSRL has been scrapped.The BMRC will now build a Metro rail to the Bangalore International Airport.The High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) proposed by the government was scheduled to run from Cubbon road to BIA.
India’s Silicon Valley adds rail as jams threaten tech grip
Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley, will open the first section of a $1.7 billion metro railway next week as the city tackles congestion that has dented investment and made it the world’s second-worst for parking.
A three-car train will run on a 6.7-kilometer (4.2 mile) elevated track on the maiden trip on Oct. 20, according to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corp. The network will stretch to 42 kilometers by 2013.
“The metro project will be a game-changer for the city,” said Anshuman Magazine, managing director for South Asia at CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. “The metro should’ve been there before, but it’s still timely.”
Bangalore’s population has jumped almost 50% in a decade to 9.6 million as a temperate climate and a pool of low- wage software programmers attracted companies such as Infosys Ltd. and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) Roads and power systems have struggled to keep up with the pace of growth, creating opportunities for Chennai and Hyderabad to challenge the city’s grip on India’s booming outsourcing sector.
Bangalore’s administration “has to show it cares by providing better services like power and transport,” said Vinod K Nowal, president of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce, and a director at JSW Steel Ltd. “There are now other states who are more aggressively attracting investments.”
Facebook Inc. last year opened its first India office in Hyderabad, about 570 kilometers north of Bangalore. The Palo Alto, California-based company didn’t immediately respond to e- mailed Bloomberg News questions about its choice of the India office location.
Colonial Rulers
Bangalore, which opened a new airport in 2008, had 554,000 technology workers in March 2009, about 25% of the country’s total, according to latest data available from the government. They mainly sat in Whitefield, a suburb that was once a settlement of India’s former colonial rulers, where companies such as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS), India’s largest software exporter, have set up offices.
The metro’s first phase will start from Baiyappanahalli in the city’s east, about 14 kilometers short of Whitefield. Once the network is completed, it will take 44 minutes to travel from the city’s north to south and 33 minutes between the east and west, according to Bangalore Metro’s website.
“I won’t think twice about giving up my car once the service starts,” said Krishna Murthy, who runs an industrial machinery company in the city’s north. “Now I take an hour to travel eight kilometers to reach my home.”
Boycott Threat
The city is the world’s sixth-most painful for commuters and worst for parking behind New Delhi, according to a survey of 20 cities by IBM. In 2005, technology companies threatened to boycott an annual industry event sponsored by the state to protest the city’s poor infrastructure.
Bangalore, home to Infosys and Wipro Ltd. (WPRO), two of India’s three biggest software companies, and IBM’s local unit, contributed 749 billion rupees ($15 billion) of software exports in the year ended March 2009, according to official data.
Still, software exports expanded at the slowest pace in four years in that year, as the global economy slowed and as other Indian cities won business. Bangalore’s 23% growth rate trailed a 29% gain for Chennai and a 25% increase for Hyderabad.
‘Preferred Destinatons’
Gurgaon and Noida near the nation’s capital are also becoming “preferred destinations” for technology companies, according to The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India, a New Delhi-based lobby group.
“When people look to make investments, the infrastructure is a big part of what they look at,” S.D. Shibulal, chief executive officer of Infosys, said in an interview in Bangalore. “The better the infrastructure, the better it is for attracting investments.”
The metro rail is owned by the federal government and Karnataka state, of which Bangalore is the capital. The project was funded by loans from Japan International Cooperation Agency and Asian Development Bank. A group of companies including state-owned BEML Ltd. (BEML), Mitsubishi Corp. and Hyundai Rotem Co. are supplying the railcars.
BEML climbed 5.3%, the most since Feb. 14, to 514.70 rupees at the close in Mumbai trading. The BSE India Sensitive Index increased 1.2%.
The project is the nation’s first new metro system since Delhi Metro Rail Corp. started services in 2002. India is now stepping up investments in public transport as economic growth spurs record car sales, worsening traffic bottlenecks.
Billionaire Ambani
Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (LT), India’s biggest builder of airports and power networks, has won a contract to build a rail network in Hyderabad. Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. (RELI), backed by billionaire Anil Ambani, is also constructing a similar project in Mumbai, the financial capital. Overseas trainmakers Bombardier Inc. (BBDB) and Siemens AG (SIE) have set up railcar factories in the country while Alstom SA (ALO) is building a plant.
India’s Planning Commission last year said the nation will need to spend $1 trillion on highways, ports, airports and utilities between April 2012 and March 2017 to support economic growth.
About 66% of Bangalore’s people are expected to use public transport for their commute in the city after the metro is complete, from the present level of 55%, according to the rail operator.
“Bangalore has been lucky in the past,” Richard Ellis’s Magazine said. “In spite of not having an international airport and not having an efficient public transport, it still got huge investments. But, you can’t rest on that for too long.”
A three-car train will run on a 6.7-kilometer (4.2 mile) elevated track on the maiden trip on Oct. 20, according to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corp. The network will stretch to 42 kilometers by 2013.
“The metro project will be a game-changer for the city,” said Anshuman Magazine, managing director for South Asia at CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. “The metro should’ve been there before, but it’s still timely.”
Bangalore’s population has jumped almost 50% in a decade to 9.6 million as a temperate climate and a pool of low- wage software programmers attracted companies such as Infosys Ltd. and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) Roads and power systems have struggled to keep up with the pace of growth, creating opportunities for Chennai and Hyderabad to challenge the city’s grip on India’s booming outsourcing sector.
Bangalore’s administration “has to show it cares by providing better services like power and transport,” said Vinod K Nowal, president of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce, and a director at JSW Steel Ltd. “There are now other states who are more aggressively attracting investments.”
Facebook Inc. last year opened its first India office in Hyderabad, about 570 kilometers north of Bangalore. The Palo Alto, California-based company didn’t immediately respond to e- mailed Bloomberg News questions about its choice of the India office location.
Colonial Rulers
Bangalore, which opened a new airport in 2008, had 554,000 technology workers in March 2009, about 25% of the country’s total, according to latest data available from the government. They mainly sat in Whitefield, a suburb that was once a settlement of India’s former colonial rulers, where companies such as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS), India’s largest software exporter, have set up offices.
The metro’s first phase will start from Baiyappanahalli in the city’s east, about 14 kilometers short of Whitefield. Once the network is completed, it will take 44 minutes to travel from the city’s north to south and 33 minutes between the east and west, according to Bangalore Metro’s website.
“I won’t think twice about giving up my car once the service starts,” said Krishna Murthy, who runs an industrial machinery company in the city’s north. “Now I take an hour to travel eight kilometers to reach my home.”
Boycott Threat
The city is the world’s sixth-most painful for commuters and worst for parking behind New Delhi, according to a survey of 20 cities by IBM. In 2005, technology companies threatened to boycott an annual industry event sponsored by the state to protest the city’s poor infrastructure.
Bangalore, home to Infosys and Wipro Ltd. (WPRO), two of India’s three biggest software companies, and IBM’s local unit, contributed 749 billion rupees ($15 billion) of software exports in the year ended March 2009, according to official data.
Still, software exports expanded at the slowest pace in four years in that year, as the global economy slowed and as other Indian cities won business. Bangalore’s 23% growth rate trailed a 29% gain for Chennai and a 25% increase for Hyderabad.
‘Preferred Destinatons’
Gurgaon and Noida near the nation’s capital are also becoming “preferred destinations” for technology companies, according to The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India, a New Delhi-based lobby group.
“When people look to make investments, the infrastructure is a big part of what they look at,” S.D. Shibulal, chief executive officer of Infosys, said in an interview in Bangalore. “The better the infrastructure, the better it is for attracting investments.”
The metro rail is owned by the federal government and Karnataka state, of which Bangalore is the capital. The project was funded by loans from Japan International Cooperation Agency and Asian Development Bank. A group of companies including state-owned BEML Ltd. (BEML), Mitsubishi Corp. and Hyundai Rotem Co. are supplying the railcars.
BEML climbed 5.3%, the most since Feb. 14, to 514.70 rupees at the close in Mumbai trading. The BSE India Sensitive Index increased 1.2%.
The project is the nation’s first new metro system since Delhi Metro Rail Corp. started services in 2002. India is now stepping up investments in public transport as economic growth spurs record car sales, worsening traffic bottlenecks.
Billionaire Ambani
Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (LT), India’s biggest builder of airports and power networks, has won a contract to build a rail network in Hyderabad. Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. (RELI), backed by billionaire Anil Ambani, is also constructing a similar project in Mumbai, the financial capital. Overseas trainmakers Bombardier Inc. (BBDB) and Siemens AG (SIE) have set up railcar factories in the country while Alstom SA (ALO) is building a plant.
India’s Planning Commission last year said the nation will need to spend $1 trillion on highways, ports, airports and utilities between April 2012 and March 2017 to support economic growth.
About 66% of Bangalore’s people are expected to use public transport for their commute in the city after the metro is complete, from the present level of 55%, according to the rail operator.
“Bangalore has been lucky in the past,” Richard Ellis’s Magazine said. “In spite of not having an international airport and not having an efficient public transport, it still got huge investments. But, you can’t rest on that for too long.”
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Bangalore to get world class roads in a few years
Travel speed has dropped to 15 kmph during the peak hours, according to statistics of the traffic police department.
Hence upgradation of the roads is overdue, in fact.
BCCF has come out with "Project Tender SURE (Specification for Urban Road Execution)", a comprehensive guide to road building - from design to procurement of materials to execution.
"Tender SURE is intended to ensure uniformity in the standards of roads," according to Swati Ramanathan, who started Janagraha along with her husband Ramesh Ramanathan.
Adopting 'Tender SURE" helps bring in not only uniformity in road standards but also ensure coordination between various utility agencies, she said.
CII, which runs the Institute of Quality here, plans to offer a two-month technical training programme on all aspects of Tender SURE for engineers and contractors from urban local bodies.
Janagraha says the road network at present, both in Bangalore and across the state, "is completely fragmented and fractured, broken and bereft of planning, leading to ever-increasing traffic jams, potholes and accidents.
"Tender SURE tackles the cacophony of India's urban road woes - providing a systematic, disciplined way to finally address the details of design, procurement and execution of our city roads," he said.
A state government spokesperson told IANS that tender for taking up the work on these 15 roads in Bangalore will be issued shortly.
Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda was all praise for Tender SURE as "it fills a void in designing and building roads according to various specifications to meet international standards". Previous
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)