South India's first Metro train chugs off

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, speaking at the mega inaugural event that entralled thousands at the Manekshaw Parade Grounds, said: “The day is unforgettable and it will be etched on the pages of my life. But the project would not have reached this stage without my predecessor B S Yeddyurappa, whose dream it was to inaugurate the project at the earliest for the citizens.”

The 6.7-km Reach-1 (Baiyappanahalli-MG Road), which was opened for passenger traffic on Thursday with six stations, is part of Namma Metro’s Phase 1 with a route network of 42.3 km on the East-West (Baiyappanahalli-Mysore Road Terminal) and North-South (Hesaraghatta Cross-Puttenahalli Cross) corridors with 41 stations.

The entire Phase 1 is expected to become operational by March 2014 at an estimated cost of Rs 11,609 crore.

Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, assuring complete support from the Centre to Karnataka’s infrastructure projects, urged the State government to use the funds granted to it under various schemes judiciously and efficiently. He added that the Centre was committed to the policy of “moving people and not vehicles”.

Commending people of Bangalore for having put up with all the inconvenience while the project (Reach-1) was being implemented, he said: “This marks the beginning... And tremendous relief could be expected when the entire Phase 1 involving 42.3-km network is completed.”

He also thanked the government of Japan for its consistent support in creating infrastructure in the country and specifically for its co-operation and assistance in the Metro projects.

Tsunami aid

On the occasion, BMRCL presented a cheque for Rs one  crore towards tsunami aid in Japan to Japanese Ambassador Akitaka Saiki.

Saiki, appreciating the gesture from India, said: “Metro is a symbol of development of urban India and the co-operation between Japan and India.”

BJP leader Arun Jaitley said Bangalore Metro was a reflection of the co-operation between the Centre and the State having governments of different complexion.
He urged Karnataka to prove it can be a model state in urban transport, just like it did in the field of information technology.

Union Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily, even under whose chief ministership a detailed report on mass rapid transport system, including a metro service was proposed, applauded the State’s efforts in executing the project.