Bangalore: The BMRCL is not short of challenges,from shortage of funds to land acquisition woes and government approvals, work has moved slowly. However it is moving in the right direction. Now work is on near Chinnaswamy stadium for Phase 1 of the project.

BMRCL has got permission to build a new line between IIMB and Nagawara covering a distance of 21.25 kilometers at a cost of Rs 11,014 crore. Of this, 13.79 kilometers is underground. The line starts from Bannerghatta Road as an elevated line up to Swagath Road cross, and goes underground just after Sagar Hospital. It passes through Dairy Circle, MICO industries, Hosur Road and crosses M G Road underneath the Phase I (east-west) metro line, before reaching Kamaraj Road.

The underground stretch will run from Sagar hospital in Jayanagar 4th T Block, Bangalore south, to Nagawara in Bangalore north-east. This will be the longest underground stretch under Namma Metro project. The stretch will have 12 underground stations.

The challenge for the Namma Metro is to bore 13.79 km in rock. It is expected to use eight tunnel boring machines and need three years. Once done, it will be India’s fourth longest underground rail tunnel in India. Currently the Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line from Jahangirpuri to HUDA city which is about 35 kms has the longest tunnel. It will also be longer than the longest surface rail tunnel.

It is estimated to take three years to build and will use eight tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to build the underground link. The project is part of the Phase II of Namma Metro.

It is learnt tha that parallel tunneling will be necessary. Each TBM costs Rs: 100 Crore and there fore BMRCL will have to employ a trade off – More machines or more time on the job.