Title - Malleswaram will have to wait for tryst with Metro

BANGALORE: Malleswaram, Rajajinagar and Yeshwantpur residents will have to wait for some more time to hop on to Namma Metro.Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) has been claiming it will launch its commercial operations on Reach 3 between Swastik theatre and Peenya areas by this year-end. But there is no way this can happen as work on a crucial 66-metre viaduct span of Reach 3 (northern corridor) is yet to begin, following withholding of sanction by the authorities concerned.The 66-metre girder has to be laid across the City-Yeshwantpur railway line at Srirampuram. BMRC's design and drawings for the crucial line have been cleared by the chief bridge engineer, South West Railway.However, BMRC has said the commissioner of railway safety (CMRS) has withheld sanction. According to BMRC, sanction has been withheld on the grounds that the railways should approve both the design and safety of the girder, to ensure the larger structure is strong.In a letter to the secretary, Union urban development ministry, BMRC chairman N Sivasailam has said they are "losing precious time, since the construction of the 66-metre span is critical to line opening"."It takes at least six months after the CMRS gives approval to construct the viaduct span, since a substantial number of traffic and power blocks have to be taken for erection of temporary arrangements for cast-in-situ construction on top of the electrified railway tracks," he said.Besides, working hours are limited to only 3-4 hours every night since there is hectic traffic on the railway line linking Bangalore City and Yeshwantpur railway stations, Sivasailam pointed out, seeking the ministry's intervention to resolve the impasse.The CMRS, however, has denied withholding sanction. Blaming the railways for the delay in taking up work, SK Mittal, CMRS, Bangalore, told TOI: "I only demanded that the Railways should certify the bridge design as it is a matter of concern for their passengers too."Mittal claimed it was at least 10 days since he asked South Western Railways to push for the certification.BMRC has claimed that checking the girder design is beyond the purview of the Railways and according to Railway Board guidelines, the role of the zonal railways is limited to granting approval only. The CMRS directive is at variance with the Railway Board directives, Sivasailam said in his letter.
HELEN, MARGARITA TO RUN INTO ROCK
The two tunnel boring machines (TBMs), meanwhile, are moving rapidly towards Vidhana Soudha from Central College station. While Helen has traversed 200 metres, Margarita has finished 60 metres.The distance between Vidhana Soudha and Central College stations is 750 meters. But the area is full of hard rocks, slowing Helen and Margarita's progress. This also means the government has that much more time to take a call on shifting the Ambedkar statue in front of Vidhana Soudha, which is crucial for the smooth progress of work.