S Lalitha By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Laddoos have inadvertently become the giveaway to the Metro Phase-1 launch. Four tender documents have been released on Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) website calling for supply of laddoos and other sweets and refreshments to mark the launch of the entire Phase 1.



The tenders for these will be opened only on June 1. Assuming that a minimum time period of a week will be given to the awardees to ready their supplies, the tender announcement by far is the loudest hint that inauguration may happen only after the first week of June.

BMRCL officials have been tightlipped on the entire matter for the past few weeks. Till last month, they had asserted that the inaugural will happen by May 31.



In the mean time, CM Siddaramaiah invited President Pranab Mukherjee to inaugurate the project. But even the invite made no mention of the date. Later, any query on the inaugural date was tied to the President’s schedule and unofficially, it was deemed to be sometime in June.

BMRCL is also toiling hard to get the green signal from the Metro Rail Safety Commissioner, which is critical for the launch to take place.



Moreover, only the North-South Corridor from Mantri Square Sampige Road to Yelachenahalli, including its underground stretch, is yet to be opened in the 42.3-km route of Phase-I.



All tenders specify that “Inauguration of Phase-I Underground Stations and Reach 4 is likely to take place shortly”.

In one tender, BMRCL has called upon hygienic service providers to supply 5,000 laddoo packets with two in each for general public; 5 kg of dry fruits for VIPs and 3,000 packs of Tetra Pak juices.



Other three tenders call for these items: breakfast for 250 VIPs comprising snacks, coffee, tea, green tea, butter milk and water bottle; a similar supply for 500 staff members; and a “heavy lunch” for 1,000 security staff which includes one rice item and one curd rice.