Centre funded just 20% of Bengaluru Metro project: Shivakumar says PM invited for Yellow Line inauguration 'out of respect'

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said the Centre has very little role in the Bengaluru Metro Rail project as "80 to 90 per cent of the project cost was borne by the state government".

He said the state government requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro Rail from RV Road to the Electronic City "out of respect" for him.

"Today Yellow Line has been inaugurated. 80 per cent of the project cost has been contributed by the State government and 20 per cent was borne by the BJP government at the Centre. In some places, the Centre has spent only 11 per cent," Shivakumar told reporters as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro at RV Road Metro Station.

"Centre has fully neglected Karnataka, but to respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we requested him to inaugurate the Metro Yellow Line,” Shivakumar said. According to him, Karnataka state government gave money for the land acquisition and infrastructure.

The Centre was supposed to shoulder 50 per cent of the project cost but it did not give money, he said. "However, for the honour of Karnataka’s state capital Bengaluru, which generates huge tax for the Centre, where every year nearly 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh new job creation happens and techies from across the country come here seeking job and also for the convenience of techies, we built metro rail till the electronic city,” Shivakumar said.

The Deputy CM said that the flyover in the Electronic City was constructed during Manmohan Singh’s tenure. He also thanked Infosys, Biocon, Delta and others who donated money to build Metro stations.

"Some BJP people are projecting that the Metro Rail was a Central government project but the Centre has done nothing. No MP gave a penny or any cooperation for the Metro Rail project in Bengaluru. It is a matter of shame for all the MPs of Karnataka,” he charged.

Shivakumar claimed that the Centre did not help Karnataka get funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Alleging that the Centre did not give sufficient funds for the city’s infrastructure, the Deputy CM appealed to Modi to give Rs 1 lakh crore for Bengaluru as has been given to the national capital Delhi "because this is the second highest tax generating city in the country".

"I am going to give a representation to him (Modi). I am requesting him not to ignore Bengaluru. Treat it like the national capital," Shivakumar said.

He claimed that the Centre has contributed 20 per cent share in Ahmedabad infrastructure project but in Bengaluru, it has given only 10 per cent, "which is a well-documented fact".

"I don’t want to indulge in politics and there is no need for it but I am bringing this to his (Modi’s) notice. MPs must set aside politics and bring central grants to serve people,” the Deputy CM said.

Taking a swipe at the Bengaluru MPs, he said this is not a service to just post things in the social media with photographs and get coverage in the newspapers. "Your conscience should permit. You should work like that," Shivakumar said.

When asked about BJP claiming that Modi gifted Metro Rail to Bengaluru, Shivakumar said no one has any role in it.

He claimed that the Metro Rail project was started by former Congress Chief Minister late S M Krishna when late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister of the country.

"Let them (BJP leaders) release their statistics to show how much money did they give for the metro project and I will also reveal our data," he said.

The ruling Congress and opposition BJP in Karnataka have locked horns over the Metro Yellow line. Congress is claiming that the state government made the project happen, while the BJP said the Centre has contributed to the Metro Line.