Bengaluru's Challaghatta metro project progressing smoothly

31 May 2023 CW Team

The Challaghatta depot, an essential facility for the BMRCL, is making steady progress after resolving two contentious land issues. Valued at Rs 4.99 billion, the depot cum workshop is a part of the Metro's Reach-2 Phase-II extension. Land surveyors from the railways recently visited the depot to assess the land situation.

M.S. Channappagoudar, General Manager of Land Acquisition at BMRCL, stated that a total of 45 acres of land had been acquired for the construction of the Challaghatta depot and the associated metro station. An issue arose regarding 1,612 square meters of land owned by the railways. BMRCL required only this portion along the Bengaluru-Mysuru railway line to construct a test track for the depot. The Railways agreed to provide the land but requested the acquisition of an additional 960 sq mtr attached to it. They expressed concerns about losing access to that portion once the 1,612 sq mtr were acquired. Two weeks ago, BMRCL agreed to acquire the extra space to address the Railways' concerns.

Another land issue involved five acres of land owned by a farmer located within the depot premises. Although the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had acquired the land, the farmer filed a writ petition, dissatisfied with the compensation offered. The court dismissed the petition, and the farmer subsequently filed a writ appeal in the high court. However, there is currently no stay on acquiring the land, and the farmer has agreed to hand over the property to BMRCL and accept the cash compensation, which is double the land value.

The Challaghatta depot, situated adjacent to the Challaghatta metro station, is set to become the terminus of the Purple Line. The construction contract for the depot was awarded to a joint venture between Rail Infrastructure Technical and Engineering Services (RITES) and Power Mech Projects Limited on November 22, 2022, with a two-year deadline for completion.

Infrastructure Transport

30 May 2026

Chembur Metro to Boost East Mumbai Links

MMRDA is advancing eastern Mumbai’s urban mobility network, with the upcoming Chembur Metro Station set to emerge as a key interchange and the Mumbai Monorail preparing for relaunch.Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, conducted a site visit to Chembur Metro Station along with Kanhuraj Bagate, Managing Director, MMMOCL. He also visited the nearby VN Purav Monorail Station to review system preparedness and ease of interconnectivity.Once operational, the interchange is expected to offer commuters across the eastern suburbs quicker access, smoother transfers and seamless conne..

Herrenknecht TBMs Drive Thane–Borivali Tunnel Progress

Herrenknecht India has supplied two of the four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) required for the 11-km Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel Project being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The project is expected to reduce travel time between Thane and Borivali from 60–90 minutes to around 15 minutes while easing congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.The first two Single Shield TBMs, named Nayak and Arjuna, feature 13.34-m cutterhead diameters and are designed for hard-rock excavation. They will be deployed to tunnel through the challenging geological..

KBL Launches Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set

Kirloskar Brothers (KBL) has launched its Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set, an integrated fire protection solution designed to improve operational efficiency, remote monitoring and installation flexibility. The system was inaugurated by Ms Madhuritai Misal, Hon. Minister of State for Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra.The Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set is a factory-tested, pre-packaged solution that combines FM/UL-certified motor and engine pump sets with IoT-enabled remote monitoring. Designed to deliver a flow rate of 170 m³/hr at a head of 100 metres, the system aims to provide..