Title - Metro rebuffs affected locals

Namma Metro officials are bracing for prolonged litigation, massive cost overruns and delays as it has decided to stick to the realigned plan and save a portion of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology. The decision could push costs up by at least Rs 1,000 crore, most of it would be forked out as compensation for the 98 buildings it would have to demolish under the realignment plan.  After a fortnight of public campaign against the realignment as well as the inter-change stations of Metro Phase II lines from RV Road-Bommasandra and Gottigere-Nagavara, Metro officials said it will not review the decision just to “protect properties of some patrons who will be affected by the realignment decision”.    Metro officials had agreed to the realignment despite misgivings by its top brass as first reported by   Bangalore Mirror   (98 buildings will be razed to save parking lot of hospital, June 3). Following the report, residents and owners who stand to lose their property had formed an association, Jayadeva Interchange Metro Victims Association (JIMVA), to better fight for their rights Ramesh K, coordinator of JIMVA, called the decision a “verdict of bureaucrats and not that of elected representatives”.   In a press release issued on Thursday, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), stated, “BMRCL does not propose to seek review of the decision to relocate the stations and the change in alignment of the line in question occasioned by it since location of the stations at Jayadeva Hospital premises is not feasible in public interest and also other Public (sic) infrastructure cannot be dismantled - merely to protect the properties of some patrons who will be affected by the realignment decision.’’   The realignment would affect several properties in Jayanagar 9th Block East, BTM Layout and Bannerghatta Road. Several multi-storied office complexes and commercial buildings including Gopalan Mall, Valtech IT park, Infosys and On Mobile are located on this stretch. While BMRCL’s estimated additional cost of compensation is Rs 145 crore, a conservative calculation by residents, based on market value of Rs 11,000/sqft, amounts to about Rs 840 crore. Together with interest it would exceed Rs 1,000 crore. About 1.65 lakh sqft of land and 3.25 lakh sqft built up area is required for the realignment line and the stations. The guidance value in the area is about Rs 8,000 per sqft.   Residents had pinned their hopes on the new government, but transport minister Ramalinga Reddy, who was briefed on the issue by BMRCL authorities on Saturday, said he was not aware of the decision. “I was busy with other meetings on the school transport drivers’ strike with BMTC officials and could not concentrate on what’s happening with the Metro,’’ Reddy said.  Metro ‘victims’ draft new plan     As per the original alignment, BMRCL had proposed interchange stations for the RV Road-Bommasandra and Gottigere-Nagavara lines across the 130-foot lung space between Jayadeva hospital building and its compound wall. This alignment was frozen in 2011, but in December 2012, the hospital director Dr C N Manjunath had objected, stating that the construction of the Metro would affect the outpatients’ block, the cardiac cathlab and intensive coronary care units, along with some essential services like the oxygen plant. A High Power Committee headed by the chief secretary and comprising senior IAS officers recommended the alignment be changed. The government agreed, even as BMRCL chief was unhappy.    JIMVA is still hopeful that the government would reconsider its decision. On the advice of the new government, it had submitted alternative plans to the realignment. Experts had also insisted that taking the Metro underground would avoid property destruction and litigations. “We still have hopes on elected representatives and the chief minister. We will not take this as a final decision,’’ Ramesh said.    Apart from the Jayadeva realignment, there were property owners along the Byappanahalli-Whitefield line near Vaidehi Hospital Circle who also had raised certain issues – of how this Metro Phase II alignment was changed to save a BMTC bus depot. Responding to it, BMRCL has said: “The alignment design leaves the BMTC facility, a public infrastructure facility unaffected and forms the basis of the alignment design in the DPR. BMRCL does not propose to seek a review of the alignment as we consider the retention of the BMTC facility integrating with the proposed Metro Station in the vicinity to be in the public interest.’’

We still have hopes on elected representatives and the chief minister. We will not take this as a final decision RAMESH, AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNER