HM Parameshwara makes a strong case for Metro rail to Tumakuru

Bengaluru: Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday argued in favour of Metro rail connectivity to Tumakuru, which he said would ease pressure off Bengaluru. 

“I said 10 years ago that pressure on Bengaluru will ease if there’s a Metro to Tumakuru,” Parameshwara, who represents Koratagere in Tumakuru district in the Assembly, said. 

Parameshwara said Tumakuru is about 60 km away. “Lakhs of people travel between Bengaluru and Tumakuru daily. It takes two hours sometimes due to traffic jams and accidents. People are suffering,” he said. 

“After we convinced the chief minister, he announced in the budget that feasibility of having a Metro to Tumakuru will be studied. Now, a Hyderabad company has submitted a feasibility report to the government,” Parameshwara said.

He scoffed at Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya for describing Metro rail to Tumakuru as a “stupid” idea.

“Bengaluru is growing rapidly. Big cities such as Tokyo, London and NY develop nearby cities so that pressure eases. We’ve developed an industrial hub on 20,000 acres. So, people will keep moving. That’s why, we need Metro. It must happen,” Parameshwara said. 

According to him, Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna, who is also the Tumkur MP, is convinced that Metro was needed from Bengaluru to Tumakuru.