Tuesday, January 31, 2012

MG Road promenade/footpath work in progress



Bridge over troubled waters? Don’t think so

 
After skipping deadlines, project aimed at decongesting traffic still mired in dispute as contractor, BBMP lock horns over de-silting the drain.

For motorists using Mysore Road and West of Chord Road, there is still no respite from traffic congestion. Their bridge of hope, a 695- metre long, five-lane structure over the stormwater drain near Gali Anjaneya linking the two roads, is mired in a dispute.

The project, taken up in November 2006 at `20.83 crore,was nearing completion when the contractor National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC) and the BBMP locked horns over who should de-silt the drain. According to a BBMP officer, the NPCC was delaying the project.

“The project was expected to be completed by February 1, 2008. The deadline was then extended to February 28, 2011. There were several meetings over the project but the NPCC kept on postponing the deadlines,” the officer said. The February deadline was extended to August and then to December 2011. With January 2012 over, there is still no sign of completion.

“Earlier, they (NPCC) said the delay was owing to the problem in land acquisition by the BBMP and delay in clearing the plan. But now, they are blaming the BBMP for not taking up the de-silting work of the drain. In the tendering clause, there is also scope for the NPCC to take up the de-silting work,” he said. BBMP executive engineer Prakash said by February-end, the project work would be completed except for the remaining 30 metres of the structure.
 
NPCC’s Kaliyappa held a different view. He said that if everything went according to the plan, the project would be completed by March.When his attention was drawn to the delay, he blamed it on the BBMP saying that the Palike was not responding positively to their requests.“The bridge is almost complete.But due to BBMP’s delay in de-silting the drain, the work is going at a slow pace.Even after several meetings
over the issue, there is no action from the BBMP. They have not constructed extra two vents for the water flow,” he said.
 
“Now the mayor and the deputy mayor have directed us to widen the space between the final three pillars,” he said. The plan has been sent for approval, Kaliyappa said,adding that there was undue delay in getting the green signal.





Metro northern corridor by Dec

11-km stretch to have 10 stations from Peenya to Sampige Road
The government has reiterated that Phase I of Namma Metro will be completed by December 2013 and the 11-km northern corridor with 10 stations from Peenya to Sampige Road will commence operations by December 2012.

Governor H R Bhardwaj announced this in his address to the joint legislature session on Monday. The 7.5-km stretch of the Metro, which was opened on October 20, has got tremendous response from the public. On an average, 30,000 people are using the Metro, he said.

Referring to the development projects in the City, Bhardwaj said the Palike had improved and asphalted 2,280 km of roads and another 35 km of roads had been concreted. In addition, 12 pedestrian underpasses were constructed and 656 parks were improved.

To ease the traffic, the Bangalore Development Authority has taken up construction of grade separators at 12 junctions in the Outer Ring Road from Central Silk Board to Hebbal flyover and up to Tumkur Road junction to create a signal-free corridor for a 36-km stretch. The BDA has also initiated the process to construct 14,000 houses for the economically weaker sections.

The governor, who read out his speech, said that to retain and rejuvenate centuries old water bodies across the City, rejuvenation of 11 lakes had been completed and work on another 32 lakes was in the progress.

Monday, January 23, 2012

PAY TOLL TO reach airport,Hyderabad

Get ready to pay toll while driving to Bengaluru International Airport (BIA),Nandi Hills,Hyderabad or beyond.The state government has given its go-ahead to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to collect levy on Bellary Road.
The toll will be introduced within a fortnight.Four-wheelers,buses and other heavy vehicles taking the main carriageway will pay a toll but those taking service roads will be spared.Two-wheelers will be spared too.
The toll plaza,damaged last April by those protesting against the toll,is now being rebuilt at Sadahalli Gate,about 0.5km before the Trumpet Intersection on the route to BIA.
The Karnataka government gave the green signal to collect toll a month ago.Twenty days ago,we wrote to Navayuga Engineering Company,which has been contracted with developing the road and collecting toll.It initially sought a months time but later said it would get the plaza ready in about 10 days from now, said AK Mathur,chief general manager (technical ),NHAI.
The move has raised the hackles of commuters."Road development work should have been completed.We're not going to allow them to collect toll from airport-bound vehicles.The toll plaza can be beyond the Trumpet Intersection,"said RK Holla,secretary,Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners' Association.
Holla claimed NHAI had only created some space for service roads and the corridors had not been clearly defined.He also said cabbies and other commuters would protest any move to levy toll."Three cab associations catering to airport traffic will certainly protest.We would not have had any problem if the highway drive had been made smoother and signal-free,"he explained.
Protests by cabbies and locals against the toll last April had turned violent,forcing authorities to call off the move within a few hours of its commissioning.The toll,if it becomes a reality,may force BMTC hike the fares on its Vayu Vajra service catering to air travellers.
Critics pointed out that the initial promise of the road to the international airport being a signal-free passage hasnt been kept and any toll decision would be a betrayal.

Corridor of uncertainty


Though NHAI claims service roads have been demarcated clearly and those using them neednt pay the toll,cab operators say the service road corridors have been undefined on several stretches.

TIME TO PAY UP: All four-wheelers,buses and other heavy vehicles taking the main carriageway will pay a toll.Those driving on service roads will be spared



BIAL Expansion on @ Full Swing



BMRCL begins homework to launch Peenya-Swastik line

Invites proposals to select acquirer bank; royalty to cushion operational costs Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has begun preparations for the commercial launch of Namma Metro services on Reach 3, 3A and 3B (Hessarghatta-Peenya-Yeshwanthpur-Swastik) by inviting scheduled banks to be the merchant acquirer bank for its automated fare collection (AFC) system.
BMRCL has promised to open this stretch for passenger traffic by December this year.
While work on laying tracks, providing signalling and telecommunication facilities, and civil work at 13 stations are under way, the corporation has started the process on the financial front. The bank so selected will have the sole rights on transactions of different kinds of tickets and, in turn, will have to pay royalty to BMRCL.
The acquirer bank will provide card readers at the automated fare collection (AFC) centres of the metro stations. The AFC contractor will integrate these machines with the ticketing office for the sale of smart cards and their top-ups. To credit the transactions to BMRCL, the acquirer bank will settle the account on a daily basis.
While BMRCL will pay fixed charges and also merchant service charges to State Bank of India based on the number of transactions, the acquirer bank will have to pay royalty to BMRCL as the corporation has agreed to associate itself with the bank. The corporation may consider extending the contract with the select bank to all other reaches of Namma Metro network on mutually agreeable terms. In such an event, fixed and service charges payable by BMRCL and royalty payable by the bank will be decided on pro-rata basis, BMRCL said.
BMRCL had selected State Bank of India as the acquirer bank for Reach 1. Besides being the acquirer bank, SBI had launched combo cards — travel-cum-ATM cards for its customers. The corporation has now invited request for proposals from banks for the new reach and the last date to submit bids is February 29.

Volvo hybrid bus to hit Bangalore roads soon

The Volvo hybrid bus, unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo earlier this month, would be launched on Bangalore roads soon, Karnataka Transport Minister R Ashoka said today.

 
 
The 105-seater single bus would have a two-month trial run in the city, expected to be from this month itself, he told reporters here.

As per a preliminary report, it cuts diesel fuel costs by 30 per cent, while emissions are significantly less, Ashoka said.

According to officials, the Volvo 7700 hybrid has a diesel engine and an electric motor, which can be used either independently or jointly.

The battery that drives the motor is charged through re-generative braking. The engine shuts off when the vehicle is stationary and does not start again till the bus reaches 15-20 kmph, further saving fuel, they said.

BMTC unveils plan for a mega complex in Jayanagar

It will come up on 9.78 acres of land

New project:The mega complex is proposed under public-private partnership.

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has unveiled plans to build a mega commercial complex along with a travel and transit management centre (TTMC) on 9.78 acres of land in Jayanagar 4th T Block. At present, a BMTC depot, a hospital and staff quarters are located here.

Unlike the other 10 TTMCs that were constructed partly under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and partly through debt, this one is to come up under public-private partnership.

The BMTC appears to have learnt its lessons from earlier TTMC projects that are now considered commercially unviable. The Jayanagar project will be on a “design, finance, develop, construct, implement and handover” basis at a cost of around Rs. 240 crore. The selected concessionaire will be in occupation of the commercial space for a period of 30 years, including the construction period.

The corporation expects a minimum initial annual fee of Rs. 1.2 crore a year. The one who offers the highest annual fee will be selected as the concessionaire.

This fee will have to be paid from the fourth anniversary of the appointed date (date of handing over of the project site) and will be increased by 15 per cent every fourth year compounded for the remaining concession period.

The concessionaire will also have to pay Rs. 10 crore upfront to the corporation.

Quoting market surveys, the BMTC has said that the proposed commercial complex could house a hypermart; an anchor mall ; a 10-screen multiplex; other retail/ restaurantsand other commercial uses such as ATMs, magazine kiosks and chemist shops. The concessionaire will be given the freedom to decide the mix.

Minimum obligation

While the concessionaire is allowed to commercially exploit about 5.75 lakh sq ft area for 25 years (excluding 5 years of construction period), he has to provide several facilities required for bus operations within two years of getting possession of the project site. The minimum development obligation, includes bus terminals for BMTC and KSRTC with 15 bus platforms each and idle parking slots — 25 for BMTC and 10 for KSRTC. The terminals should also have passenger amenities as in other bus stations and reserved parking area for BMTC's park & ride scheme. While the BMTC depot should be designed to accommodate 150 buses, KSRTC depot should accommodate 75 buses. They should also have all facilities available in other depots, including crew rest room and cafeteria.

Having invited single tenders under the three-cover system, the last date for opening the tenders is likely to be extended from February 17 following requests for more time from prospective bidders in the recently held pre-bid meeting, sources in BMTC said.

  • The corporation expects a minimum initial annual fee of Rs. 1.2 crore per year
  • The firm that offers highest annual fee will be selected as concessionaire

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Get set to pay airport toll

The airport toll is back to haunt passengers, taxi drivers and large vehicles. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is all set to re-introduce tolling on Bellary Road at Sadarahalli Gate. Last year the NHAI had built toll booths at Sadarhalli Gate, just before the International Airport, but they were damaged in the protests by the taxi drivers and local public. The project was later shelved, but the NHAI has now started constructing new booths in the same place.

When contacted, regional director of NHAI Bengaluru, R K Gupta confirmed that the tolling will be introduced in the next 10 days. “The project was halted due to opposition from the local people and taxi drivers. However, the Centre has given a green signal and the new booths are being constructed at the site,” Gupta said. As per the National Highway Fees (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 cars, buses and heavy commercial vehicles have to pay Rs 20, Rs 60 and Rs 120 respectively. The NHAI is tolling to facilitate construction of three elevated expressways between Hebbal Flyover and BIA, besides widening NH-7 to six lanes in the same stretch.

However, the decision of NHAI has not pleased the taxi drivers associations who are demanding that NHAI completes the projects first, and then levy toll charges. G R Shanmugappa, President of the Federation of Karnataka Sand Lorry Owners and Agents Association (FKLOAA), threatened that the taxi drivers will go on strike if the NHAI go ahead with tolling before widening the highway. “Nowhere in the country are airport-going vehicles tolled. There is a 13 km signal-free stretch to reach Hyderabad airport, but vehicles don’t have to pay any extra money along the way. How can government give the consent against common man’s interests? The NHAI can toll the vehicles if there is a signal-free access to airport. When the vehicles have to steer through congestion to reach airport why should they pay?” asked Shanmugappa.

At Sadarahalli, the toll booths are being remade by the NHAI team. The old booths have been taken off and new ones are being built. By the next week the new booths will be ready to operate. There are eight booths and one can expect some chaos at the entry points, once they are operational. About 25,000 private taxis ply in and out of international airport, besides vehicles going to airport and Andhra Pradesh.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

ZOOM DOWN 18-lane autobahn to BIA

LAND TO BE ACQUIRED ON BOTH SIDES OF NH 7 THREE-LANE SERVICE ROADS COMING UP

The ride towards Bengaluru International Airport and beyond will soon become a minutes only affair with work under way to upgrade Bellary Road (NH 7) into an 18-lane autobahn with a high speed rail link (HSRL) embedded in it.
The Rs 680-crore up gradation involves a 22.12-km stretch of the road beginning from Hebbal flyover up to Bachchalli railway gate,beyond the Trumpet Interchange leading to the airport.
The autobahn will be 65 metres wide and have three-lane service roads on either side of the six-lane highway,besides the nation's first-ever six-lane elevated corridor running along the highway.On stretches where the elevated corridor is absent,it will be a 12-lane expressway.Work began in September 2010 and is expected to be completed by May 2013.
Currently,properties adjoining the road on either side of the road have been notified for acquisition.Land up to a width of 5 metres will be acquired on either side of the road leading towards the airport.There have also been instances of land up to 15 metres wide being proposed for acquisition along some parts of the stretch.
The three-lane service roads have been planned basically to divert local traffic,while the highway and elevated corridor will cater to only airport-bound vehicles, said AK Mathur,chief general manager (technical ),National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Bangalore.
Each threelane service road will be 10.5 metres wide,while the existing main carriageway is about 25.5 metres wide.A 5-metre corridor between the carriageway and service road on the side of Esteem Mall will be earmarked for HSRL.NHAI authorities said pavements and drains will be accommodated in the 65-metre autobahn.
Esteem Mall,Columbia Asia Hospital and several other prime properties,including Jakkur airport,will be losing land to the project,coming up on the right side of the airportbound road.On the left side,GKVK has already parted with land,while the Indian Air Force station in Yelahanka is awaiting clearance from its headquarters to gives up its share of land.NHAIs acquisition plans,however,have run into rough weather on the left side of the airport-bound road near Hebbal flyover as the Army,which is building a residential apartment complex in the area,has refused to part with land for the project.We are trying to convince the Army authorities that a service road would,in fact,benefit their apartment residents and facilitate direct access, Mathur said.
NHAI has already released a compensation package of Rs450 crore to the state revenue department for payment towards properties to be acquired for the project.About 45 hectares of land will be acquired in all for the project.

PROGRESS CARD


NHAI chief

general manager (technical) A K Mathur said that 50% of the upgradation work was over.He also said that half the work on the first section of the elevated corridor was complete.The six-lane elevated corridor is being built in three sections: the first 3.722-km stretch will run from Esteem Mall to Yelahanka bypass,while the second and third corridors will each span for about 600-odd metres beyond Kogilu Cross and at Vidyanagar.

UNDERPASSES COMING UP



NHAI authorities

also said the upgradation of Bellary Road has provision for vehicle and pedestrian underpasses across the highway to facilitate easy movement for locals.
One pedestrian underpass will come up after Kogilu Cross,two vehicle underpasses will be built between Kogilu cross and Vidyanagar,and a cattle underpass will be constructed near Hunasamaranahalli.

ITS OUR LOSS

We have already handed over the strip of land notified for acquisition by NHAI.We are losing a 154-m long and 5-m wide strip of land.We are yet to claim compensation.

Naraiandas Ahuja | DIRECTOR,ESTEEM GROUP

The notification was issued for acquiring a 5-m wide strip of our land about eight months ago.The boundary wall of our hospital will be razed and a new wall built soon.We have not claimed compensation because the land was leased to us by Kirloskar Group.

Jeremy D'Souza | GENERAL MANAGER,COLUMBIA ASIA HOSPITAL

NHAI notified acquisition of 15-metre strip of land of our project site near Jakkur airport long ago.We have already given up the land,and are in the process of claiming compensation.

Sushil Mantri | CMD,MANTRI DEVELOPERS PVT LTD



IN A JIFFY: Toll gate at Sadahalli