Plans for high speed train to BIA on track

DH News Service, Bangalore:

In its first step towards implementing the proposed high speed train project to Bangalore International Airport, the State government on Wednesday called for Expression of Interest (EI) from private firms to take up the project on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

The EI has been issued by Karnataka Industrial Investment and Development Corporation (KSIIDC), which has been appointed by the government as the nodal agency to implement the project. As per the EI, firms have time till September to respond.

Tender

A BOT operator (also called project promoter) will be selected through the global tender. The plan is to complete the project connecting the airport from Police Parade ground off Cubbon Road in the heart of the city, by 2011.

The BOT operator will have to bear almost the entire cost, which is estimated at Rs 3796 crore, except for equity participation by both the State and the Centre Governments (Rs 135 crore each) and Bangalore International Airport Limited (Rs 30 crore), official sources said.

The State Government will also bear the land acquisition cost (Rs 155 crore) and BIAL will bear civil engineering cost for the train at the airport premises (Rs Rs 148 crore).

BIAL has been made an equity partner as the train is proposed to pass through the airport, sources added.

Source : The Deccan Herald