Bangalore Metro to continue work on underground station

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has decided to go ahead with the tunnelling work on the Platform Road for the Majestic underground station though it is yet pay Rs125 crore to South Western Railways (SWR) as licence fee. Earlier the BMRCL said it would stop the work as it disputed SWR's demand for the licence fee.

The decision to continue the work was taken considering that resolving the decision will take time and delay the project.

A statement issued by the BMRCl said the chief secretary had written to the general manager, SWR, requesting permission to allow BMRCL to continue work as it might take time to sort out how much cost to be paid to SWR.

“BMRCL will continue work until a communication in response to the chief secretary's letter is received from the general manager, South Western Railways,” said the statement.

Divisional railway manager, South Western Railways, Sudanshu Mani, said: “While the BMRCL can carry out minor work, it can work on the main Platform Road area only after it pays the dues.”

Temporary work
Responding to BMRCL's statement that the work is temporary in nature, Mani said: “Though that be the case, there will be restrictions on what we can do on the land. This is why we consider the work as a permanent one.”

Metro gets nod for skywalk
The commissioner of metro railway safety, southern circle, has given permission to construct a skywalk at the Baiyappanahalli railway station.

“The skywalk will be constructed from the Baiyappanahalli metro station to BMRCL's traffic integration area on the NGEF side (Kashthurinagar),” said a BMRCL statement.