Bengaluru, Aug 5 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President, D.K. Shivakumar, said on Tuesday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and he had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Yellow Metro Line in Bengaluru.
Shivakumar, who is also the Minister for Bengaluru Urban Development, inspected the Metro Yellow Line earlier in the day.
He spoke to the media during this visit.
Earlier, no representative from the state government attended the inauguration of the Sharavathi Cable Bridge in Shivamogga district of Karnataka.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the project, and only BJP leaders were present.
The development had stirred a controversy.
“The Metro project is not solely a Central government initiative. Both the State and Central governments are partners in this. What matters here is public service, not credit politics,” Shivakumar said.
When asked whether the inauguration event was decided by the State or Central government, he replied, “This is ‘our’ Metro. The Chief Minister and I had requested the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate it.”
“Now a date has been given. This is not just a Central government project. Both the state and Centre have a 50 per cent stake each. If there’s a Chairman from their side, there’s a Managing Director from our side. No one is sidelined here. We are serving the people. As responsible leaders, we are fulfilling our duties,” Shivakumar added.
“The 19.15-km-long Yellow Line with 16 stations, constructed at a cost of Rs 7,610 crore, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 10. A brief and simple event will be held at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, auditorium on that day,” he said.
“The Prime Minister, Chief Minister, and local MLAs will travel by Metro that day. There’s also a funding shortage for land acquisition under the Double Decker project, and a request regarding this will be submitted to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.
When asked about the Metro expansion and Double Decker project, Shivakumar replied, “The MPs who are now creating a fuss should help bring in some grants — that would be good for Bengaluru. None of them are talking about getting funds; they only find faults.”
“Wherever Metro lines are built next in the city, Double decker roads will be constructed too. For that, land will be acquired. If buildings are demolished, greater compensation must be given. BBMP and BMRCL have jointly decided to handle this,” he said, while targeting BJP MPs.
“The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety issued a certificate on July 31 allowing operations on the Yellow Line. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya is an eager youngster, but he lacks experience. These works cannot be rushed,” Shivakumar remarked.
He also appreciated the efforts of all officers, contractors, and workers involved in completing the project and acknowledged the previous Managing Director, Maheshwar Rao, and other staff for their hard work.
Regarding the inauguration of the Hebbal Junction flyover, Shivakumar said, “It will be inaugurated by August 15 after getting a date from the Chief Minister. For now, only the stretch from KR Puram to Mekhri Circle will be opened.”
“The other stretch will be inaugurated later. From Esteem Mall towards the university in the Nagavara direction, a new tunnel road will be built. This proposal will soon be placed before the Cabinet. The main tunnel road is separate; this 1.5 km tunnel is a different one. It will be completed in two years,” he added.
Regarding increasing traffic in Bengaluru, he said, “People from across the country and rural areas are coming here. We have good weather, Cauvery water, and top institutions — even you are not leaving Bengaluru. I’ve instructed the Metro Authority to acquire an additional three to four acres near Metro stations for parking. Let them make parking below and use the space above for commercial purposes.”
When asked if new roads in Bengaluru are being asphalted, Shivakumar added, “Yes, it’s happening. No matter how much we do, it won’t be enough for Bengaluru’s development. I’ll speak about this during the Assembly session. We’ve given deadlines to officers.”
When asked about giving priority to second-tier cities, he said, “We have new ideas regarding this — will share them soon.”
When asked about the poor performance of Metro feeder buses, Shivakumar added, “I’ll look into it.”
–IANS
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