‘Metro to ORR and Airport will be traffic game-changers’
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya thanks Centre for fast-tracking city’s infra
BENGALURU:
Bengaluru’s traffic woes could well be a thing of the past with the expansion of the Outer Ring Road, the Airport line of the Metro and the Suburban Rail project, Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament from Bengaluru South, said on Wednesday.
The Union Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has granted approvals for Phases 2A and 2B of the Metro which cover the routes Central Silk Board to KR Puram (Phase 2A) and KR Puram to Airport via Hebbal (Phase 2B). The 58.19 km-long routes will be completed at a cost of Rs 14,788 crore.
Read Here: Modi Cabinet nods Silk Board-Airport metro line https://thebengalurulive.com/modi-cabinet-nods-silk-board-airport-metro-line/
Mega revenue generator
Explaining the importance of the project, Surya said, “Bengaluru contributes 40% of India’s total IT revenue of $167 billion. The Outer Ring Road alone contributes 32% of Bengaluru’s IT revenue but this important 17-km stretch was not connected by Metro. With few commuting options, 53 lakh private vehicles have been added to the city between 2008 and 2020. The average vehicle speed in this stretch, which supports the employment of around 8.5 lakh people, has dropped to 4 km per hour.
“I had met Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant many times to push for the approval of this project along with several written representations. I also explained how both the Metro and the suburban railway will be important and necessary infrastructure for Bengaluru to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.
“Even in Parliament, I had urged the Central government to expedite the approvals for the Metro project. The lines are expected to have a combined daily ridership of 7.5 lakh in 2025, becoming the nerve centre of the engine for Bengaluru’s and India’s economic growth. I am thankful to the government, led by PM Modi, for approving this vital public transport project for my city.”
Combined with the Suburban Railway Project, Bengaluru will finally get the public transport infrastructure that it requires, thanks to the Central government, Surya added.
‘Supportive Centre’
“The entire Central government has been extremely supportive for getting this project sanctioned. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has helped in securing loans for the Metro from ADB and JICA. The kind of unstinted support extended by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under the guidance of Minister Puri, is rarely seen in government. Even the state government of Karnataka and CM BS Yediyurappa considered it with the topmost priority, giving advance approvals and providing state contribution of funds for the project.”
The two important Metro lines are expected to benefit thousands of commuters to the Bengaluru Airport. The proposed routes will also ease Bengaluru’s traffic hotspots, by providing an interchange with railway stations at KR Puram, Yelahanka and Hebbal. It will also provide major connectivity with major radial roads such as Hosur Road, Sarjapur Road, Whitefield Road, Old Madras Road and Bellary Road.
Overall, Surya highlighted that the Metro will provide a sustainable and efficient mode of transport, helping Bengaluru realise its economic potential and ease traffic congestion on the roads.
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