Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. on Friday made public the alignment for the underground section of the Gottigere–Nagawara line (Red Line), but did not reveal the exact route of the elevated section of the line. The map gives the location of 12 underground stations as well as the south ramp near Swagath Road Cross station from where the elevated section begins.
Civil work on the section is expected to be completed within 36 months from the date of commencement. For speedier conclusion of the project, BMRCL has divided the section into four packages and invited bids last month for the construction.
As many as 13 tunnel-boring machines will be used for the 13.92-km underground stretch that will pass through some of the city’s busiest areas, including M.G. Road, Shivajinagar, Langford Town, and Vellara junction.
The M.G. Road station on the Red Line will be an interchange station, with the new station located under Kamaraj Road. There is, however, a change in the alignment of the Cantonment station, which will now come up under a playground owned by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and used by students of Abdul Bari’s Primary and High School.
“The change has been done as land acquisition was easier with the new location. This station (Cantonment) will be located 250 metres away from the Cantonment railway station platform end. We will look at providing access to the station directly from the railway station side,” said Pradeep Singh Kharola, managing director, BMRCL.
For the remaining 7.5 km of the elevated section of the Red Line, between Swagath Road Crossand Gottigere, the letter of award for tenders has been issued.