The City speaks...

The City speaks...
Sindhuja Balaji & Divya Sehgal
Will Metro derail life on the most prestigious of the Citys thoroughfares? Or is it only a minor hiccup that one has to bear given the good times that the Metro Rail would be a harbinger to?

A month after the work on the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited chugged off, the doomsayers have been proved wrong. Life on M G Road continues to be as usual. But this is just the beginning, as it would take a good three years before the Metro work is completed and finally thrown open to the public. Will Metro derail life on the most prestigious of the City’s thoroughfares? Or is it only a minor hiccup that one has to bear given the good times that the Metro Rail would be a harbinger to?

Chandrashekar- aged 58, Manager of Deepam Silks- MG Road
I find a lot of setbacks with the Metro Rail coming up on M G Road and the parking facilities being removed altogether. Customers will not be willing to walk all the way and sales in most commercial establishments along this stretch is likely to go down. The tourists angle cannot be ignored as they travel in four wheelers and the lack of parking space may intimidate them to shop here. An alternative would be to shift the plan of laying the rails on Cubbon Road.

Reena, 50, Media Person
Everyone resents this plan and MG Road should retain its old charm. However, things need to change for the better. Bangalore is a fast growing city and the needs are expanding hence the Metro Rail is more of a convenience than a hindrance. I do agree that MG Road is a shopping hub and I do not think it will affect the ardent shoppers too much.

Malinga- Aged 40, Driver with Windsor Manor
Metro Rail is bound to affect business on M G Road as not many people will want to walk a long way just to shop. As there is no alternative parking provided by the government, the business of shop keepers on this road will be affected and and it will surely affect our services.

Salauddin- Aged 46, Manager of Cauvery Emporium
It is going to affect our business very badly, in fact it has already begun to affect us. We are helpless because we cannot think of any other alternative and can only suggest a change of location for the Metro Rail. The Government is also not looking into the aspect of parking and this one way is sure to increase traffic congestion.

Irani- Aged 60, Housewife
I am sure the Metro Rail will not even take off to begin with! Atleast not in our lifetime but it should not be introduced here at all. As it is, there is no adequate parking on MG Road and even now I have to park my car on Commercial Street to shop here. Customer shopping will not be affected so badly and I do not think we need to worry about this now.

Prabha- Aged 32, Freelance Artist
Sales will be affected and the shoppers will not take to MG Road as much as before. Anyway, Metro Rail was introduced on public demand but the alignment could have been done elsewhere. We need a mall for parking. It will not affect tourist inflow in any way.