JOIN USBangalore Metro's extended Purple Line on Mysuru Road inaugurated
The extended Purple Line of Bangalore Metro on Mysuru Road was inaugurated on Sunday.
The 7.53-km long stretch was inaugurated by Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai here.
The line under Phase II of Namma Metro project has six stations-Nayanadahalli, R R Nagar, Jnanabharathi, Pattangere, Kengeri Bus Terminal and Kengeri.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) estimates that 75,000 people would travel on the line every day.
According to officials, to build the line, the BMRCL has spent Rs 1,560 crore for infrastructure and Rs 360 crore for land acquisition.
Noting that Bengaluru is one of the major engines of economic growth for the entire country, with strong presence in information technology, biotechnology and applied sciences research, Union Minister Puri said, "the city accounts for nearly 38 per cent of total IT exports from the country....the inauguration of the Western Extension Metro Line today is a step towards enabling faster commute and smart mobility options in the City."
Noting that that the the operational punctuality of Bangalore Metro is 99.8 per cent, one of the best amongst metro networks in the country, he said "since the inauguration of first metro line in Delhi in 2002, today about 730 kms of metro lines are operational in 18 different cities, and about 1,049 kms of metro rail / RRTS projects are under construction in various cities."
Stating that Bengaluru is an international city and one cannot imagine an international city without a metro, the Chief Minister said, Metro is not only a lifeline of Bengaluru, it should be its "future line".
"The connectivity of the people, and travel comfort of the people is very important for metropolis like Bengaluru.....we need a very good public transport system like metro for this," he said, adding that he has directed BMRCL officials to complete the metro works under Phase II by 2024, one year earlier than the present deadline of 2025.