A stream of dignitaries arrived at the Vidhana Soudha on Saturday evening, amidst a crowd of policemen, security personnel and citizens, who milled around outside the building or made their way to the seating area, all patiently awaiting the arrival of President Pranab Mukherjee. A stickler for punctuality, the President arrived a few minutes after six, taking his place on the stage in time for the inauguration of Namma Metro from Sampige Road.
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At 6.20 pm sharp, after the President’s ceremonial flag waving, the train, festively packed with green and purple balloons, took its maiden journey from Sampige Road to Yelachenahalli, covering a distance of 11.3 km. And history was made in Bengaluru, as Namma Metro’s Phase-1 was officially declared complete.
President Mukherjee congratulated BMRCL on its achievement, adding reassuringly over a dozen Indian cities will have Metros in the next decade. “The BMRCL has done well by completing Phase 1 in under 10 years and Phase 2 will be just as successful. It’s a happy coincidence, as well, that Kochi’s Metro Phase-1 was opened by PM Modi on Saturday morning, while I have the pleasure of inaugurating Namma Metro’s Phase 1 on the same day!”
Bengaluru, he said, “has been named one of the best cities in the world. We need to maintain these standards. Phase 2 of Namma Metro is an ambitious one, covering 72 kilometres and connecting the city to Kempegowda International Airport as well as Outer Ring Road.”
The historic significance of the day was not lost on the President, who allowed himself a moment of reminiscences. “In 1854, India saw its first Railway line built by the East India Company. By 1863, London already had its first metro rail. India is lagging behind when it comes to organizing public transport for cities, that cater to the commute of around five million people and above.
This is a huge challenge with a growing population. However, with our experiments, new technology and dedicated technical personnel, we will catch up. We will provide the required amenities for our urban population, underground and elevated," he said, adding that huge investments and advanced technology are essential for such large scale infrastructure projects.
Metro to KIA soon: Venkaiah Naidu
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said that a lot has gone into making Namma Metro Phase 1. The 42.3 km stretch with 40 stations took close to a decade and saw exorbitant funding from the Centre and state.
“The central government has spent Rs 7,110 crore for Namma Metro, out of Rs 8,762 which can be availed on request. Along with budgetary allocation, supplementary budget amount of Rs 250 crore was given," Mr Naidu said, adding that the total expenditure stood at Rs 13,845 crore.
The ridership on the Metro, which is at two lakh, will jump to five lakh with the addition of 10 Metro stations on Phase-1.
“For the 72-km Phase 2 network, the Indian government has taken a loan of Rs 1,440 crore from AfD. In addition, it has also approved Rs 2,160 crore from the Asian Development Bank. The government has released Rs 1,205 crore of the Rs 5,291 crore for the second phase, which will have two lines and four extensions,” he said. With Phase 2, the total cost of the Metro project stands at Rs 26,405, covering 111 km. It will connect the Outer Ring Road (KR Puram to Silk Board) through innovative financing from industrial houses under the Public Private Partnership basis.
On taking Metro to the Airport, he said, “RITES has done a feasibility study, while the Detailed Project Report is being prepared. With the opening of this line, the total Metro length operational in the country goes up to 370 km in cities of Kochi, Delhi and NCR, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Jaipur and Mumbai."
Phase 2 on track, last mile connectivity too: Siddaramaiah
The problem of last mile connectivity has to be addressed through multiple actions such as good bus services, taxi services, user friendly pathways etc," the chief minister said, adding Phase 2 of the 'Namma Metro Project' is already under implementation and would add another 72 km to the existing 42 km of Phase-1.
"An amount of Rs 26,405 Crore would be invested on Phase-2. The network when completed will reduce traffic congestion and will be able to carry more than 15 lakh passengers per day," Siddaramaiah said.
There are also plans to further expansion of Namma Metro network to Kempe Gowda International Airport and a Metro corridor along the Outer Ring Road, the Chief Minister added.
Started in 2008, the first phase of Metro was supported by Japan International Co-operation Agency and Agence Francaise De Developement France, along with state and central governments.
An amount of Rs 300 Crore was raised by floating bonds, a first in the metro history of the country. The public transport system, implemented jointly by the Union and the Karnataka governments, is aimed at providing efficient and environment-friendly transport option to the residents of Bengaluru, a city of estimated 10 million people. The metro project was conceptualised as a viable solution at a time when the pressure on roadways communication is increasing.
