Centre keen on boosting mass transport : Venkaiah Naidu

Bengaluru: Union Minister for Urban Development, Venkaiah Naidu assured on Friday that the  Modi government at the Centre would  fully support the Karnataka government in implementing the second phase of the Metro Rail project  covering 72.95 km and costing Rs. 26,405 crore.

Addressing the inaugural function of the underground section of the East-West corridor of the Metro Rail, he recalled that the Centre had already released Rs. 2000 crore for the second phase.  It had also provided all assistance to the first phase of the project , which would  be completed by November 1, he maintained.

Reiterating the Centre’s commitment to providing mass transport  to the people of  Bengaluru , the minister pointed out that it had also decided to give it a suburban train to ease its traffic congestion.

Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers,  Ananth Kumar claimed the Metro Rail was the dream project of former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee and it was he  who had  decided to introduce it in all major cities, including Bengaluru and also asked Delhi Metro  architect, Sridharan to prepare the neccessary detailed project reports.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, for his part, said that state government was committed to completing the first phase of the Metro project by November 1 , to mark  the Rajyotsava Day. The  state had given its share of R 5,335 crore towards the total project cost of Rs. 13,845 crore, and  would also fund the second phase  of the Metro Rail, slated to cost Rs. 26,405 crore, to the tune of Rs 9,000crore. It had already released Rs. 900 crore, he added.