JOIN USGovernor H R Bhardwaj on Monday termed the Namma Metro project as the ‘gravest injustice’ to Bangalore and also Karnataka.
Speaking at an event here, Bhardwaj said, “The Delhi Metro is a pleasure to see and has eased the congestion there. But, here, it has destroyed the outlook of the City.” The Governor made this observation while speaking on the need to rejuvenate the tourism industry which has suffered over the past decade due to heavy construction activity and destruction of the environment.
He said the greatest mistake that was done while planning the Namma Metro was taking it over the ground. “Even if it is accepted that the construction has gone overground, the project seems to be going on forever. The new government must speed up the project and complete it,” he said.
Bhardwaj, reminiscing the scenic stretch along the Mysore Road, said that today (due to construction of the Metro) it is nothing more than a ‘view of an overhead crane’ throughout the entire stretch. “How do you expect tourists to traverse this stretch?” he questioned.
He blamed the ‘lax’ approach of the State government in dealing with the garbage menace plaguing the City. “Look at other tourist destinations abroad. No tourist would like to come in this filth,” he said.
Welcomes poll results
At the same time, Bhardwaj ‘appreciated’ the people’s mandate in the recent Assembly elections. “I am happy that the people have brought in a change. But, rest assured, being in the last leg of my life, I will continue to be outspoken about any issue in the State,” he said.
The governor was critical of the deteriorating law and order situation. “Every day there is a murder reported from the City. The law and order situation has gone down over the past four years,” he said.
On the drinking water crisis, Bhardwaj said the situation is looking bad with the source of the river Cauvery facing a ecological challenge. “There is a serious threat to the catchment area of Cauvery in the Kodagu region. We need to invoke certain environmental laws to protect it, failing which there will be a threat to drinking water,” he said.
Earlier, the governor released the South India tourism directory brought out by the Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which enumerates the State’s tourism potential.