Bangalore Metro team is all set to begin the tunnelling work for the underground stretches from May 10. But is anyone aware of the fact that there have been some explosions at these Metro sites that's almost been invisible to public view? Digest this the city has witnessed over a thousand blasts in the past two-and-a-half months.

BMRC chief N Sivasailam admits these numbers on record. Majority of them were executed in the busy areas of Ambedkar Veedhi and at the barricaded Sir M Visvesvaraya station area near Central College campus. These explosions were mainly for the excavation works in these station areas.

"Nobody realized it until we spoke about the numbers. That's the level of preparedness we are into for the underground works," Sivasailam told TOI. With the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) from Japan already on site at Majestic station area, BMRC finally hopes to begin with its tunnelling activities soon.

"The operations will begin by May 10 but it will take at least another week or 10 days to stabilize these works on ground. The real start as per formal procedures will begin by May 20," he explained.

What's on Reach-1

The Ugadi day gives no hope for launch of first Metro services along Reach-1 from Byappanahalli to M G road, but BMRC is keen to complete all pending works by April-end.

What had also delayed the safety certification process was the wait for the final rules to be published by the Union ministry of urban development under the Metro Act for Bangalore. The Bangalore Metro Railway General Rules, 2011 and Bangalore Metro Railway (Opening of Public Carriage for passengers) Rules, 2011 was finally published on March 30.

"This includes just two of the total six rules and is to enable us to begin with the certification process. But the services will depend on the remaining four rules to be published,"Sivasailam explained.

Source: 5. April. 2011, magicbricks.com