‘Metro has 90% regular commuters now’

On Saturday, October 20, Namma Metro will celebrate its first anniversary. During the one year of Reach-1 running, there have been a lot of changes in how Namma Metro has been perceived. In an interview with N Sivasailam, managing director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL), DNA’s Suchith Kidiyoor and Merlin Francis take a close look at what is happening behind the scenes on various reaches. From challenges of coordinating with various agencies, the controversial Ambedkar statue, delays at crucial points, fare revision and the Bus Rapid Transit System—Sivasailam explains what is on his mind. Excerpts from the interview:

What are the lessons you learnt during the construction and commissioning of Reach-1 that can benefit the other reaches? Has Reach-1 influenced your approach in dealing with challenges and problems foreseen during work on future reaches?
We have learnt many lessons. Our coordination with the other agencies - BBMP, BWSSB, BESCOM, KPTCL, the traffic police, Telcos etc is now better organised. We have streamlined the working hours in residential areas. The noise and dust pollution levels are much lower in other reaches than it was in Reach-1. The construction programme is also organised better with fewer stoppages due to coordination issues. Our handling of the construction issues in underground construction in Reach 1 has given us immense confidence to handle bigger underground works in Reach 2.

Do people continue to take joy rides on the Metro? Has it started attracting a regular commuter base?
The average daily ridership is now about 20,000. The joyrides have reduced considerably, although it continues during weekends. At least 90% of the travel during weekdays constitutes business travel, or those who are regulars.

Are there any plans for grand celebrations of Metro’s first anniversary?
We are very happy that in the first year we have been able to demonstrate operations that are comparable with international standards in quality and performance. We have operated the system with a young staff and this makes the achievement more significant. It indicates that our young staff has the technical skill and capacity to perform even at international levels. We have just opened one stretch. The project still has some distance to go. We are now focused on commissioning the northern line from Mantri Square Sampige Road Station to Peenya. Our patrons have honoured us by using the facility on Reach-1. We will have limited celebrations—presentations of mementos for the operations personnel... nothing beyond that.

What areas are you looking at to generate non-traffic revenue? When Reach-1 was commissioned,there seemed to be no plans of putting up shops at Metro stations. Why the change of heart now?
The project envisages raising at least 5% of the revenues from non-fare sources. It is not correct to state that this is a new development. Property development issues are addressed post commissioning, not during commissioning.

To travel from Baiyappanahalli to MG Road, it costs Rs35 in BMTC’s Volvo bus, which means travelling in Namma Metro would cost less than half that price. Is there any possibility of fare revision in the background of recent hike in BMTC fares?
Fare revision in Metro systems is governed by the Metro Operations Act. We are examining it in the board with regard to our operating costs and action will be taken in accordance with the law.

During the course of construction, there were many obstacles that caused delays. Has this resulted in additional costs? Will obstacles like delay in construction of Yeshwanthpur Soap Factory station, Malleswaram 66-Metre Span Bridge, and so on, cause a delay in the commissioning of those reaches?
Yes. The two cases you mentioned have caused delays. These proposals have been cleared after relentless pursuit for over three years. The delay in the soap factory case by three to four months had been absorbed in the delay in the construction of 66-metre railway span bridge at Malleswaram. In the case of the 66-metre span bridge at Malleswaram, approval for traffic blocks and their schedule will be given by the South Western Railways (SWR) shortly. It is agreed in principle about the number of blocks and period of blocks on each occasion. The SWR is working out the technical, administrative and safety arrangements for the work. We are informed that we may get the go-ahead by November 1.

We are preparing for this schedule. Preliminary work such as shifting of the SWR’s signal cables in the construction area of the Metro viaduct are under way. Also, the SWR has taken up with the CRS (Commissioner of Railway Safety) the issue of speed restriction of 10 kmph, which SWR wants enhanced to 20 kmph, which we agree. It takes five-six months to construct it and thereafter the systems work will take another two months followed by testing for a month. These delays have not been factored into the project. However, we propose to make use of this opportunity to impart training to our loco pilots required for the entire project which will help in the commissioning of the other reaches.

Earlier you had said that retaining the Ambedkar statue in front of Vidhana Soudha would drastically increase the cost of construction. Considering that the statue has not been removed, what is the increase in costs incurred by BMRCL?
Yes, it would help if the statue is shifted as it is the most cost-effective alternative. We have requested the state government to do so. The government has not formally rejected the proposal. Sensing likely delays, we have already implemented the contingency plan at the appropriate time, by which we will be delayed in the construction of the station by at least eight months.

This is because the pace of work will be considerably slower to ensure the safety of the statue. The nature of construction of the station involving redesign of the entry-exit structures will force additional costs. These will be evaluated on submission of the bills by the contractor as it represents a variation which can in future be a subject matter of commercial dispute between the contractor and the company. It is not in the interest of the company to detail the evaluation as it will be prejudicial to our commercial interests. It suffices to say that the costs incurred on daily basis are monitored for correctness with regard to the output planned and delivered.

State government makes frequent transfers of IAS officers. But you have been heading BMRCL for a quite some time now. Do you have any special mandate by the state government?
It would have been appropriate if the question were to be addressed to the state government. I am the nominee of the state government in the board of the company (BMRCL) and hold office at the pleasure of the state government. I do not enjoy the special mandate to the best of my understanding. The agreement with the Central government, which is an equal partner in the project, requires that the managing director is appointed with its prior consent; also, any additional responsibility be entrusted to the managing director only with its prior consent. Two instances where this understanding was given effect was when the matters regarding monorail dealt by the company were withdrawn by the state government, and the entrustment of the work of airport rail link. Of course, the special and only mandate of the state government viz-a-viz the company and it’s managing director is that a metro system of international standards be created. We are bound by this singular focus.

Along with Metro Rail soon there will be a bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor from Hebbal to Silk Board junction. A proposal for a commuter rail system is also with Department of Urban Land Transport (DULT). Do these systems have the potential to compete with Metro Rail? Can all of these co-exist?
The decision is based on a traffic survey and we are part of the decision-making process. The traffic density in the corridor presently justifies a BRT system only. Over a period if the people per hour per direction (PPHPD) increases to above 15,000 all along the alignment, we could think of an investment in a metro system. Until then, BRT could be the answer. We could easily transform the BRT corridor into a metro corridor if required. Public transport systems shall work in harmony and investment will be made by the state only where there are justifications for doing so. The state has an institutional mechanism for doing so — the Bangalore Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA), which is headed by the chief secretary. DULT is the directorate concerned with urban transport systems, and is as much a promoter of metro systems as is BRT and other modes, including point-to-point bus transport systems which we have in good measures today.

What is the status of Phase-2 of Namma Metro which is before the Central government? Any developments on that front?
The state government has approved the project and referred it to the Central government for approval. The Central government wanted the approval of the board of the company and the implementing agency, besides an appreciation on financing plan by the high-power committee. These have been done in the last 15 days. The Central government now wants the matter to be submitted to the public investment board for which the necessary draft documentation will be done and submitted in the next 10 days. We expect the Central government’s approval within the next two-three months. Meanwhile, pre-project activities for technical surveys and land acquisitions are underway and the first notification is expected shortly.