Bengaluru, Nov 18 (IANS) Defending the decision to float tenders for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the 59.6-kilometre metro corridor between Madavara in Bengaluru and the neighbouring city of Tumakuru, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said on Tuesday that BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who opposed the move, was unaware of the project background.

Speaking to the media here, Parameshwara, who is also the Tumakuru District In-charge Minister, said, “Parliamentarian Tejasvi Surya has opposed the extension of metro services from Bengaluru to Tumakuru. Probably, he may not have sufficient input on this matter. Every day, thousands of people travel from Tumakuru. The regions of Nelamangala, Dabaspet and Kyatsandra are progressing rapidly.”

“In Bengaluru, there is mounting pressure — be it in terms of power supply or transportation. Because of these challenges, many people have chosen to settle in the surrounding regions. Tumakuru houses Asia’s largest industrial hub spread across 70,000 acres. Already, 150 industries have been established. The Timex factory and food processing units have come up, and land has been allotted for a Japanese township,” he said.

With development accelerating, Tumakuru requires better connectivity, he argued. “Multi-modal transport — whether by rail or road — is essential. This will reduce the pressure on Bengaluru. When neighbouring cities such as Ramanagara, Kolar and Tumakuru develop, the strain on Bengaluru will ease,” he said.

Parameshwara added that the idea of extending metro connectivity to Tumakuru was proposed two to three years ago. “The Chief Minister assured that the proposal would be considered and announced that a feasibility study would be conducted. The feasibility report has come out positively. After that, I held meetings with all stakeholders, and approval was granted for preparing the DPR (Detailed Project Report). Once the DPR is ready, we will examine the budget and identify ways to mobilise resources,” he said.

He further stated that several companies had shown interest in investing under the PPP model.

“When I personally spoke to a few companies, they said they were willing to invest. If the project cost is around Rs 20,000 crore, they assured that they would provide Rs 20,000 crore. They have even submitted an official letter to the Chief Minister in this regard. A company from the Middle East, Qatar, has also shown interest,” he said.

“Despite all this, I don’t understand why Tejasvi Surya made such statements without trying to understand the background. This is not about political rivalry or who wants it and who does not. It is about the development of the state,” Parameshwara said.

“We must think in terms of development. When we are in power, it is our responsibility to ensure the progress of the state. Karnataka is a progressive state, and the world is watching us,” he added.

He refused to label the BJP leader as anti-development. “I will not say he is against development. I won’t say the BJP is against development. People will judge based on their conduct,” he said.

Responding to another question, he said, “Why do students from across the country come to Karnataka and Bengaluru to study engineering and medicine? Those colleges exist everywhere. But the quality of education here is internationally recognised.”

“After liberalisation, many institutions have expressed interest in establishing universities in Karnataka. Liverpool University from England and an Australian university have come forward. Several collaborations are underway. All of this must be viewed from the perspective of the state’s development,” he said.

It can be recalled that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) had recently invited tenders for preparing the DPR for the proposed 59.6-kilometre metro corridor between Madavara and Tumakuru — a decision criticised by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who said the government should instead prioritise the long-pending suburban rail project to improve connectivity to Tumakuru.

–IANS

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