BMRCL Gets Only 9 Acres for Hebbal Metro Hub

17 Jul 2025 CW Team

A high-level committee chaired by Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh has approved the allocation of nine acres of land near Hebbal to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), significantly reducing the original request of 45 acres. The decision was made despite appeals from notable figures such as Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, former Infosys director Mohandas Pai, and Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, who represents Bengaluru North in the Lok Sabha.

Initially, BMRCL had planned a state-of-the-art multi-modal transport hub and had sought 45.5 acres for the purpose. However, in a surprising shift, the agency scaled down its request to just nine acres.

Shobha Karandlaje, along with MPs Tejasvi Surya (Bengaluru South), PC Mohan (Bengaluru Central), and MLA S Suresh Kumar, had urged the government to allocate the full land area, citing the metro hub’s strategic importance in easing congestion across the city.

Allegations have surfaced suggesting that influential real estate interests lobbied the government to scrap or reduce the hub project. A meeting led by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on 5 May directed BBMP officials to revise the design, fuelling public scepticism about BMRCL receiving the land it originally sought.

For over 15 months, BMRCL maintained its request for 45 acres, envisioning a comprehensive hub featuring a metro depot, multi-level parking, and a tri-junction linking the blue, orange, and red metro lines, including access to the airport route.

In March last year, BMRCL formally requested 45.5 acres from KIADB, which had earlier acquired 55.13 acres in the Hebbal and Hebbal Amanikere areas from Lake View Tourism Company Limited—a project that has since stalled.

Despite the backing and the strategic significance of the proposed facility, BMRCL has now been asked to drastically revise its land and design requirements.

Infrastructure Energy

28 Aug 2025

REC Hosts 56th AGM, Highlights Record Growth and Sustainability

REC Limited conducted its 56th Annual General Meeting (AGM) today through video conferencing, chaired by Jitendra Srivastava, Chairman & Managing Director. The meeting highlighted the company’s record operational and financial performance during the year, along with its strong focus on sustainability and ESG-led initiatives.Jitendra Srivastava, Chairman & Managing Director, in his address noted that REC achieved significant milestones during the year, strengthening its position as a performance-driven public financial institution. Loan sanctions stood at Rs 3.37 trillion, with disbur..

ADGBR Reviews Road Projects under Project Vartak

Additional Director General Border Roads (ADGBR) Jitendra Prasad conducted a four-day review of ongoing road and bridge construction works under Project Vartak in the area of responsibility (AoR) of the 42 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) from 19 to 22 August.Prasad inspected key infrastructure projects including the Balipara–Charduar–Tawang (BCT) road, Sela–Chabrela–Banga Janga Gonpa road, Banga Janga Gonpa–Lagamche GG road, the Sela tunnel, and multiple roads in the Nelya sector.At various construction sites, project officials briefed him on project scope, progress, timelines, and op..

Nitin Gadkari Launches Three Highway Projects in Madhya Pradesh

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, laid the foundation stone for three National Highway (NH) projects in Madhya Pradesh on 24 August. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), the projects are designed to reduce travel time, ease congestion, enhance road safety, and improve connectivity across key corridors.The first project covers the four-laning of the 17.87 km Amazhar–Barela stretch, completing the Jabalpur Ring Road. The upgrade will divert heavy vehicles away from the city, reduce accident risks, and ensure smoother connectivity from A..