PM's unavailability blessing in disguise for Namma Metro

CM to consult Railway Minister to decide final date of launch

This would mean that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the State government could open the Metro for citizens earlier than anticipated.

According to sources in the Chief Minister’s office, the prime minister will not be available to inaugurate the Reach one (Byappanhalli to MG Road) of the Namma Metro project, forcing the State government to inaugurate the Metro “earlier than Deepavali”.

Confirming the development and speaking to Deccan Herald, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said: “I have received a letter from the prime minister’s office stating that he will not be available to inaugurate the Metro.”

Despite the final clearance reaching the BMRCL and State government, their obsession to have the Namma Metro project inaugurated by Manmohan Singh had kept the much-awaited train ride away from the citizens.

Gowda said he will be leaving for Delhi on Friday morning to meet with the Union ministers and try to consult the Road and Surface Transport Minister Kamal Nath and Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi for deciding on a final date for the launch of the Metro.

Final clearance

The BMRCL recently got the final clearance for commercial operation on Reach One and the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CRS), D K Singh had given the Corporation a two-month deadline.

“The BMRCL would have to inaugurate the Metro within two months from the date of receiving the clearance certificate from my office. If they fail to do so, the clearance will lapse forcing them to re-apply for fresh clearance,” Singh said.

The hopes of early inauguration comes in the backdrop of the BMRCL and State government missing four deadlines since early March 2010. However, the Namma Metro finally got the clearance from the CRS last week.

Earlier in the day, Minister for Transport and Home, R Ashoka had stated the Government will try and set a date for inauguration in the next 15 days.