Congress members presented a list of demands to M Maheshwar Rao, BMRCL MD.
Credit: DH Photo/ Shraddha S
Bengaluru: Members and supporters of the Indian National Congress staged a protest at the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) office in Shanti Nagar, demanding that the Namma Metro Yellow line opening be expedited.
About 200 people were present at the protest. O Manjunath, District Congress Committee (DDC) President (Bengaluru South), addressed the gathering, calling out the Central Government for delaying the metro project.
“The BJP is trying to shift the blame on the state government for the delay when, in fact, it is their fault. The project is to be planned by the central government, and they have delayed it in all aspects, from transporting the coaches to deploying engineers,” he said. KV Gautham, DDC president (Bengaluru Central) and former Bengaluru Mayor Manjunath Reddy were also present at the gathering. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who was meant to lead the protest, did not attend.
The group met M Maheshwar Rao, Managing Director, BMRCL and presented a list of demands. Some of the demands listed include: urging the Central Government to immediately take responsibility and complete all pending technical and administrative clearances at the earliest; to expedite the urgent supply of metro coaches and all necessary inspection work; a high-level committee to be formed to oversee the work of metro projects; to publicly publish the progress report every month.
The BMRCL chief, in response, assured the group that the Yellow line would be inaugurated by August 15.
‘Only waiting for regulatory clearances’
The Yellow Line is ready for regulatory clearances, said Maheshwar Rao. “We’re hoping to finish our independent safety assessment by this weekend. We’ll then reach out to the regulatory body CMRS,” he told DH.
The BMRCL currently only has three trains. “We’re a little stressed about that. But we’re expecting the next set of trains to arrive in August,” he said.
Rao said he was unaware about Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the inauguration of the Yellow Line. “But as per the process, the state government will definitely approach the central government for the inauguration.”