Cantonment Metro station site inaccessible, unscientific, say activists

Activists, who stood with residents in opposing the proposed Metro station at Madina Ground, said authorities have made a huge mistake by selecting a location that was virtually inaccessible.

“If a Metro station comes here, it will be blocked on all three sides by a Masjid and residential areas. The only road that connects the ground is 25-feet wide and will see traffic jams every day. How can a Metro station have access from one side,” asked urban transport expert Sanjeev Dyamannavar.

‘Mere assurance’

Rejecting the officials’ assurance of integrating the Metro and railway stations with a tunnel, Srinidhi Sampath from Praja noted that if the Metro station is set up in front of the Cantonment Railway Station, all the additional infrastructure was not necessary.

Dyamannavar alleged that the idea of building a tunnel was a mere assurance rather than a well thought-out solution. “These ideas come as a counterpoint to our questions. How much they spend on building a 500-metre long tunnel equipped with travelator. The time and money spent on maintenance of such a tunnel... There are no such calculations,” he said.

Rajkumar Dugar, a resident of Vasantnagar, said Metro can’t afford to create something which is totally against the wishes of the people.