`Take citizens into confidence on metro rail'

`Take citizens into confidence on metro rail'

The Hindu

Basavaraj Bommai says debate over mode of transport has confused people

BANGALORE: With confusion over the how and why of the Bangalore Metro Rail project causing alarm amongst the public, the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, must urgently call a meeting of technical and financial experts and take the citizens into confidence by allaying their fears, Basavaraj Bommai, Janata Dal (United) MLC, has said.

In a statement, Mr. Bommai said the debate on the merits of metro rail against monorail has only increased the citizens' apprehension about the Government's seriousness in addressing the mounting traffic problems in Bangalore. Mr. Bommai pointed out that the track record of the Government in finalising the project appropriate for Bangalore is hardly reassuring.

Many schemes and projects have been considered and abandoned midway. The Rs. 4,800-crore elevated rail transport, which was handed over the United Breweries, has been withdrawn, after the Government refused to increase the subsidy from 25 per cent to 35 per cent on the request of the promoters.

Technical experts are of the opinion that ELRTS would cost Rs. 100 crores a km, while metro rail would cost Rs. 200 crores a km. Metro rail `s power requirement is estimated at 50 MW for 33 km, while ELRTS needs 65 MW for 65 km. Metro and ELRTS both have volume of eight passengers per sq. metre. ELRTS would take only half the time required to complete the Metro Rail project.

Mr. Bommai said that even before the BMRTL has taken off, it has an infrastructure cess of Rs. 600 crores.

This needs to be re-examined, as the cess collected from 1995-98 is only Rs. 145 crores, which are now held in account by BMRTL. During 1998-2004, 33 per cent of that amount was meant to be at the disposal of BMRTC, while 67 per cent to be used for other projects. In February this year, the Chief Minister reduced the allocation from this fund for Rural Roads development from 33 per cent to 28 per cent. Apart from this, a sum of Rs. 360 crores due to BMRTC from the Government has not been paid so far. .

This means the Government has not painted a realistic picture of the project and its finances.

Mr. Bommai said a petition by D.P.Sharma is pending before the Karnataka High Court, questioning the diversion of money from this fund for other development works.