Bengaluru: A day after the Congress govt claimed the Centre’s share in capital infusion for Bangalore Metro project plummeted to 16% over years, BJP Thursday argued the 84% figure was arrived at by wrongly counting BMRCL loans as the state’s contribution.Ahead of the inauguration of Namma Metro’s 7.5-km elevated Pink Line stretch between Kalena Agrahara and Suddaguntepalya by PM Modi on Friday, BJP claimed the financing pattern for Bangalore Metro is 54:46, contrary to Congress govt’s 84:16 calculation.Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya accused the Congress govt of indulging in ‘credit chori’ and alleged nearly Rs 29,000 crore in foreign loans provided to BMRCL by international financial institutions, backed by the Centre’s sovereign guarantee, had been included in the state’s contribution to project Karnataka govt’s share as substantially higher.“This money is routed to BMRCL, which is also responsible for repaying loans. Where is the state govt’s contribution to this? They are misleading the public through mischievous accounting,” Surya said.BJP’s response came after Greater Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda stated that of the total Namma Metro project cost of Rs 77,891 crore, the state govt had contributed Rs 65,291 crore, while the Centre’s contribution stood at Rs 12,600 crore.Surya argued BMRCL, a special purpose vehicle, was a separate entity and its borrowings should not be treated as direct state govt expenditure.Excluding loans from the state’s contribution, its share would fall to 46.6%, while the remaining 53.4% would include Centre-backed institutional financing and other funding, Surya claimed.On the state govt bearing expenses towards land acquisition, rehabilitation, grants-in-aid and other components, Surya said these were part of the agreed funding arrangements and were not exclusive to Karnataka.On the proposed Red line (Sarjapur-Hebbal), Surya rejected the state govt’s charge that the Centre had delayed approval for more than 22 months. He said the Centre had scrutinised the detailed project report and reduced the proposed cost from Rs 28,405 crore to Rs 25,999 crore, resulting in a saving of Rs 2,406 crore.On Orange line, Surya accused the state govt of delaying implementation by repeatedly changing the design.Surya said the elevated corridor of Pink line had received central approval in 2014, but the then Congress govt awarded the construction contract only in 2017.You stop my speech, but you can’t stop my work: KBG
Pink line Metro trial runs on Bannerghatta road ahead of its inauguration. The elevated section of the line, connecting Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere, will open for commercial services on Nov 14
Bengaluru: Greater Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda Thursday alleged he had been denied an opportunity to speak at the Pink line inauguration at the IIMB auditorium because he demanded justice for Karnataka.The minister was referring to a skewed Centre-state contribution to Namma Metro projects.On X, he said, “You may cut my speech, but you cannot stop me from working for Bengaluru’s development. We’ll continue our work with even greater commitment.”Byre Gowda said his speech, included in the draft programme, was excised late night.According to the final programme schedule, PM Narendra Modi, governor Sudha Yadav, chief minister DK Shivakumar and Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya will address the gathering.The PM is scheduled to travel by Metro from Suddaguntepalya to IIMB before inaugurating the 7.5-km elevated Pink line stretch and launching several other projects.
