Bangalore:
Even as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is being held responsible for the delay in launching the Metro train service, it was found that the officials, ignorant of rules, are the ones to be blamed.
While the Metro train service had to be designed under Railways Act 1989, so that the Commissioner of Railways Safety (CRS) could have issued safety certification, the BMRCL has designed the project under an out-dated Mysore Tram Way Act 1906.
As CRS has no role to play under the obsolete act, there is no one to issue safety clearance. And without the safety clearance the Metro train cannot chug out.
BMRCL officials recently woke up from their slumber and are reported to have prepared a 4000-page report and sent it to CRS. But it still remains fruitless, unless the project is brought in under the appropriate statute.
"In 2009, the Union Ministry of Urban Department had alerted BMRCL over the erroneous design. It also advised to re-design the project and re-draft the rules framed in 2002 for the Metro before getting the gazette notification by the government. But that wasn't done," said a BMRCL officer.
While the project is designed on erratic grounds, the procedure needs correction. For instance, the train track is on standard gauge (1.437meter) because it is designed under Mysore Tram Way Act, while the Railway Act specifies only meter gauge (1 m) or broad gauge (1.676 m).
"There are remedial measures, but onus lies on BMRCL to take the initiative. The problem with BMRCL is the corporation is not transparent in its functioning and it does not take us into confidence," said M N Srihari, advisor to the CM on infrastructure. He added, "The authorities in the corporation are not open for any advice, leave alone information sharing."
Refuting the charges, B L Yashwant Chavan, spokesperson of BMRCL, said, "There is no confusion whatsoever. We have sent the re-drafted rules to the government and the urban development department needs to notify it."
However, sources in the department of urban development said that the government had not received any communication in this regard.
While, K J S Naidu, CRS, was unavailable for comment, an official in his office said, "The BMRCL officers say that they have sent some reports to us. However, we have not received them yet."
Apart from safety clearance issued by CRS, the Metro has to get clearance from Research Design and Standard Organisation on speed and schedule specification.
Besides, tests on oscillation, tracks and signalling are yet to be conducted. Without the gazette notification of the re-drafted rules, these procedures will not happen.
An official in the BMRCL added that Metro train services are a distant reality with all these pending procedures, apart from incomplete civil work.