Parallel problems to delay Metro?

BANGALORE:  The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is likely to decide when Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) can get the impending railway clearances from the Ministry of Railways. According to S Mani, Division Railway Manager, South Western Railway, Bangalore, the PMO is sceptical about leasing out Central Government’s land to Public Sector Units (PSUs) like BMRCL following the recent spate of land related scams in the country.“BMRCL needs permission to construct stations and lay Metro lines on land that is contiguous with the Railways. After a series of land scams in the country, the PMO is reluctant to grant government land to PSUs. BMRCL is also one such PSU,” said Mani. He added the Ministry of Railways, has forwarded BMRCL’s clearance applications to the PMO for approval.Meanwhile, BMRCL has consistently blamed the Ministry of Railways for the delay in clearing 6 impending Metro constructions on railway land. At a recent conference, N Sivasailam, managing director of BMRCL, said that the underground construction work of Namma Metro is also being delayed due to pending clearances from the Railways. He implied that the entire project is being delayed because of these clearances.While BMRCL has transferred the blame onto the Railways, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) alleged that the Metro corporation delayed the submission of designs in one case, submitted faulty designs and  in another case, even occupied land illegally, in the case of the Swastik station.The DRM alleged that the land for the Metro station at Swastik Circle was acquired illegally by Hamara Shelters and the case was in court. He also added that Hamara Shelters was a unit of Mantri Developers. In the case of the foot-over bridge at the Byappanahalli station, he said that BMRCL had to submit revised drawings which has delayed the entire process.At a recent conference organised by CII on Project Management, Sivasailam said that in India, project managers are forced to deal with issues of land, litigation and environment simultaneously with the project. He contrasted it with other countries where pre-project issues are addressed first and then the project begins. He used the tussle with the Ministry of Railways for clearances as an example of ‘parallel problems’ that his project has to deal with.With the PMO reluctant to lease land out to PSUs fearing a misuse of land and money, BMRCL will need to wait till the PMO reposes faith in such mega-projects again.