The lack of disclosure about the exact underground route and the resultant confusion that causes is once again illustrated by today's TOI article
Metro will jam way for 15k cricket fans
To quote the relevant parts, Brijesh Patel, KSCA secretary, says “They first said the train will not touch the stadium and will go underground. Now, they say they will take over the land which will affect the entry into 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.’’
However based on the facts that the:
a. The Cricket Stadium station was tendered along with the other underground stations.
b. The height of the (already constructed) pillars starts decreasing visibly once you cross Ani Kumble circle, indicating that the metro goes underground soon after.
c. No pillars have been constructed, by Navyagu or any other contractor, in the vicinityof the stadium, which would surely have been done if it was an elevated section.
it is likely that Mr Patel is mistaken and the takeover of land is temporary. However, there is no information in the public domain that could reassure us on this point or the other possibility that this stretch is at-grade (neither underground nor elevated).
I had posted earlier on the sketchiness of the details that BMRC is providing. This is not a happy state of affairs and one can only hope that public disclosure and involvement in Phase 2 discussions will be more complete, open and transparent.
I came across an interesting example, in this case from Los Angeles, of how a transit authority can involve the public even in the initial stages of deciding between alternative routes and station locations, well in advance of any actual building activity. This is in contrast to the situation here were decisions, when shared, are presented as fait accompli - cannot be changed at any cost.
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Comments
BMRC should have informed
Please see this link.
I too wonder why KSCA officials were not informed about the change/s once it was firmed up to integrate HSRL with Metro at police grounds, necessiating some alterations.
Alignment description from the DPR
Below is an extract of the alignment description in the DPR for phase I
"The Vidhan Soudha under-ground station (km 9.318) is located on this road. The station is close to the Vidhan Soudha and the High Court. After this station the alignment turns into the Cubbon Park with a right hand curve, still underground, and the switch over ramp is provided to come to the surface between the fountain and Bal Bhawan (Jawahar Lal Bhawan). The switch over ramp is located in such a manner that minimum number of trees are affected in the Cubbon park area.The alignment is fully elevated before reaching the Queen's circle. An elevated station is provided in the park adjacent to the Chinnaswamy cricket stadium (km 10.643). From Queen’s Circle, the alignment runs on the left edge of the M G Road adjacent to the elevated walkway and continues till Brigade road. The M G Road station (km 11.380) is provided opposite Plaza cinema."
this alignment passes underground right through the heart of cubbon park and emerges at minsk square and then elevated line skirts around periphery of the stadium, near land army corporation office . I believe BMRC it tight lipped because it has to sacrifice some trees in the cubbon park, i hope its a small number. Alternatively they could have done without going through cubbon park, by continuing all the way from minsk square to GPO and a left hand curve to vidhana soudha.And ramp switch over could have been accomadated at police grounds itself. I know its too late for alternate alignments/suggestions.
vinod
Changes since DPR
The route alignment has changed since the DPR (which was submitted Mar 2003). If you look at the pre-qualification tender for the underground section, page 8, the corresponding route description is
""The Vidhan Soudha Station (Km 9.318) is located on this road and is in close proximity to the Vidhan Soudha and the High Court. After Vidhana Soudha Station the alignment turns into Cubbon Park with a right hand curve, still underground, and arrives at the last underground station, Cricket Stadium (km 10.500) near Minsk Square.The tunnel starts to surface after this station where a switch-over ramp is provided starting at KM 10.920 off the Cubbon Road and passing through the New Saluting Base Grounds before joining the elevated section on M.G. Road."
Which means that hundreds of people of all ages who use Police Grounds for their daily cricket/football/other games can kiss it good bye. We are indeed paying a big price for this metro. Yes, I know this ground was also earmarked for the Airport Link terminus, but I am pretty sure that that project will not start for the next 15 years.
We really need to have a Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot to sift through the scraps of information BMRCL lets slip to make sense of what is happening.
Maybe security
route in court
The petitioner argued that there were two other metro stations coming up within a distance of only about 500 metres from this site, one at theMinsk Square and the other at Central College.
http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_new-bench-to-hear-case-of-cubbon-metro-station_1306494
Atleast someone has taken this up finally!
If not at central college..station can be moved back in front of MS bldg..catering for both central college and vidhana soudha/high court crowd!