Tenders for 10 metro stations - details

First of all, I have no idea what that Deccan Chronicle article meant when it talked numbers like Rs 1 to 10 Crore per station. We have been noticing Bangalore Metro tenders in newspapers, all are available on BMRC website as well. Here are the details, with links to the tender pdf files:

1. CMH Road + Byppanhalli stations - Rs 81 Crores (link)
2. RV Road Terminal + Jayanagar - Rs 61 Crores (link)
3. Tollgate + Hosahalli + Vijayanagar - Rs 98 Crores (link)
4. Yeswantpur + Soap Factory + Mahalaxmi Nagar - Rs 111 Crores (link)

So if you notice, the ball is set in motion for the last few stations on each of the four 'reaches' of Metro. Some things worth noticing:

• Most important - no mention of Banashankari, or K R Puram or other stations that were supposed to be part of the extension of phase 1. (Remember, they had talked about extending the lines a bit to hit potential mobility hubs on Outer Ring Road)
• No tenders yet for underground stations
  • the mother of all stations - point where these four reaches intersect - Majestic. Tenders only talk of at grade or elevated stations
  • Similarly, the interchange point between High Speed Airport Rail and Metro.

So, for above, the design work (or file-shifting!?) is still in progress. Not a problem.

I browsed through one of the documents in detail (Yeswantpur one). Not much technical details of station design, or station area footprint (no footprint, except the pillars?) are present, except that stations are 135 meters in length, plus transition span of 14 to 20 meters.

One interesting thing you would note (section 1.5) is that the builder is expected to coordinate with various agencies on temporary and permanent relocation and diversion of utilities, including Traffic Management on roads in the adjoining neighborhood. So, they will have to do the temporary constructions (say a temporary road, or drain), and get approvals etc from concerned bodies on their own. Language is interesting, but its not clear whether BMRC is washing its hands off this aspect (construction time coordination) or fixing responsibility on the builder.

Anyway. Read more. And make your notes, but not a lot to look forward in these tenders. What we need to see is the mobility aspect of station designs. I think we need to meet with BMRC to get the documents and understand their design process and philosophies.