After complaints, especially from senior citizens, about the noise pollution at Namma Metro work sites from Silk Board to K.R. Puram (Outer Ring Road) and Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has decided to suspend construction activities at night.
Anjum Parwez, managing director of BMRCL, said apart from seniors, he had also received multiple complaints from students appearing for exams saying that construction work was depriving them of a good night’s sleep, which in turn was affecting their academic performance. Work on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), such as erecting piers and others, will not be taken up at night. Under Phase II (a) of Namma Metro, BMRCL is building a 19-km elevated line on ORR that includes the construction of 13 metro stations.
When work finally began on the ORR, the need to expedite work was a priority to ensure that motorists and residents were not inconvenienced by resulting traffic snarls. “But we have started receiving complaints from senior citizens in residential areas such as HSR Layout that pier construction resulted in a lot of inconvenience at night. Heavy machinery is deployed to build metro piers. At night, we will carry out works such as transportation of construction materials and others,” said Mr. Parwez.
BMRCL has allayed fears that the suspension of heavy machinery work at night will delay the project, the deadline for which is 2025. To make up for lost time, BMRCL plans to deploy additional manpower during the day. According to Mr. Parwez, it will not affect the deadline for the ORR stretch, which is part of the 58 km airport metro line from Central Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport. BMRCL has completed 15% of civil works from ORR -Airport line.
“We have also received special permission from the city traffic police for transportation of construction material during the day” said Mr. Parwez. On the Kalenaagrahara to Dairy Circle stretch, BMRCL has completed 30% of the 7.5 km elevated metro line.
The official added that construction works during night time will also be suspended near residential localities on Bannerghatta Road where the elevated line of metro from Kalenaagrahara to Dairy Circle is in progress. On this stretch, BMRCL has completed 30% of the 7.5 km elevated metro line.
