Bangalore:
Bangalore's much-awaited and much-delayed Metro took a step forward today with the handing over of the first set of coaches to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
The metro is intended to cover over 42 kilometres and link key parts of the city like the IT City and MG Road at a cost of over Rs 11,000 crore. The project was announced in 2005 and was meant to be completed by 2010. The deadline was then revised to April, 2011. Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa has optimistically announced September 1, 2011 as the new launch date for what the city calls "the Namma Metro". However, most permissions and security clearances have not been secured yet, suggesting that another delay is inevitable.
Trial runs have been conducted for the last four months for the first stretch - from Byapanahalli to MG Road - with imported coaches from South Korea.
The metro has provoked a series of protests by residents concerned about the thousands of trees being cut down for the project.