By India News Newsdesk
Bengaluru, July 5 (IANS) Bengaluru South MP and BJP Yuva Morcha National President Tejasvi Surya led a protest on Saturday demanding the completion of the Yellow Line Metro project in Bengaluru.
Hundreds of residents, along with Bengaluru Central MP P. C. Mohan, BJP MLA Ravi Subramanya, and other party leaders, participated in the protest. Demonstrators held placards and raised slogans against the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
The placards read: 鈥淓nough of delays, give a final deadline for Yellow Line鈥, 鈥淵ellow Line delayed, Bengaluru betrayed.鈥
Speaking at the protest, Tejasvi Surya said, 鈥淭he only way to solve Bengaluru鈥檚 traffic problem is to reduce the number of private vehicles and promote the use of public transport. The Metro and RTC buses are the most important means of mass transport.鈥
He added that the Yellow Line, which connects the residential areas of South Bengaluru to Electronics City, has seen a delay of nearly four years. 鈥淥perations were supposed to begin in 2021. Now it鈥檚 2025, and we still don鈥檛 have clarity. BMRCL has missed more than 12 announced deadlines. Even today, the BMRCL Managing Director refuses to give a concrete timeline,鈥 he said.
Surya accused the state government of not putting its full weight behind the timely completion of the project. 鈥淢oreover, Metro fares have been increased by over 100 per cent. A committee that conducted an international tour submitted a report, after which a 130 per cent hike was implemented,鈥 he stated.
鈥淎s a result, ridership has dropped by nearly 1 lakh passengers per day. We have been demanding that the fare fixation committee report be made public. What is there to hide? Metro is funded by the people. Don鈥檛 they have the right to know why the fares were increased?鈥 he questioned.
Surya also said, 鈥淚f necessary, I will approach the court to obtain the report. The Central government has done its job鈥攂oth regulatory clearances and funding were provided promptly. Execution is the state鈥檚 responsibility. Why hasn鈥檛 it been done?鈥
He pointed out that the state government has still not invited tenders for Metro Phase 3, even though it received clearance from the Centre a year ago. 鈥淲hy? The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka must answer,鈥 he demanded.
鈥淭he patience of Bengaluru鈥檚 citizens is wearing thin. The BMRCL MD says he hopes the Yellow Line will be inaugurated before August 15. We want a firm commitment. If not, today鈥檚 protest was just a sample鈥攖here will be larger-scale protests across all Yellow Line stations,鈥 Surya warned.
MLA Ravi Subramanya added that Metro services should be made available to the public at the earliest. 鈥淭he Congress-led government should not force us to resort to intense agitations. Bureaucrats must also step up,鈥 he said.
In response, BMRCL MD M. Maheshwar Rao acknowledged receiving petitions from citizens. 鈥淧eople want access to the Yellow Line services. I hope most statutory approvals will be completed by July 10. After that, we will approach the authorities for final clearance. Once protocol checks are done, the Yellow Line will become operational,鈥 he said.