Bengaluru: Anjanapura to get Metro link by August 2020

BENGALURU: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) on Sunday began track-laying work on Reach 4 extension from Yelachenahalli to Anjanapura Township.
“This section with a total length of 6.05km with two tracks is being taken up simultaneously and will be completed by October 2019,” BMRCL said. Following this, system work such as laying of the third rail, power cables and signalling work is expected to start.BMRCL is planning to open the line by August 2020.
BMRCL will also commence track-laying work on Reach 2 extension from Mysuru Road station to Kengeri by this month end and this work is expected to be over by December 2019. The contract has been awarded to Delhi-based Texmaco Rail and Engineering Limited for Rs 530 crore. The work includes laying track for the entire Phase 2 of the network.
While BMRCL did not specify the deadline for Kengeri stretch, both lines are supposed to be completed by 2020. The earlier deadline was 2018 end.
Metro connectivity is expected to bring relief to thousands of people, especially office-goers from Kengeri and Anjanapura.
Sources said work on Mysuru Road-Kengeri section had slowed down after the cash-strapped Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) hit a rough patch. IL&FS had bagged the Rs 327-crore contract in April 2015 for construction of viaduct and stations on the 3.95km stretch from Mysuru Road station to Pattanagere (Reach 2A). The Mysuru Road stretch towards Kengeri, which was the west extension of east-west corridor, was supposed to be completed in 27 months.
IL&FS, which bagged the contract in April 2015, has already missed multiple deadlines and is yet to complete the work. BMRCL had even imposed a penalty of Rs 1.05 crore against the firm for the delay. However, BMRCL officials are optimistic that the work on Mysuru Road stretch will not be derailed because of the crisis IL&FS is facing as the project is in an advanced stage. The 8.8km of Reach 2 will have stations at Nayandahalli, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Jnanabharathi, Pattanagere, Mailasandra and Kengeri.