Latest news with #BMRCL
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Newly appointed BMRCL MD inspects key progress on Bengaluru Airport Metro Line
The newly appointed Managing Director of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) J. Ravi Shankar, conducted a detailed inspection of the under-construction Bengaluru Airport Metro Line on Thursday. This crucial corridor, stretching from Kempegowda International Airport to Hebbal, is part of Phase 2B of Namma Metro. According to a release by BMRCL, the MD reviewed critical infrastructure components, including the viaduct, station buildings, and the upcoming Airport Depot. 'He also reviewed high-priority locations such as railway crossings and cut-and-cover sections near the Indian Air Force premises,' the release stated. Mr. Shankar instructed engineers and contractors to strictly adhere to the project timeline while ensuring world-class infrastructure and compliance with safety norms. The line is expected to provide a much-needed transit access to North Bengaluru, facilitating travel between the city and the airport, which is around 35 km from the Central Business District(CBD), and helping decongest surrounding traffic. The line, which is called Blue Line or ORR-Airport Metro Line consists of two sections - Phase-2A (Central Silk Board to Krishnarajapura) and Phase-2B (Krishnarajapura to Airport). Construction of Phase-2A, began in August 2021. Construction of Phase-2B began in February 2022.
New Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya flags Metro fare hike in Lok Sabha
BENGALURU: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, speaking in the Parliament on Wednesday, flagged the steep hike in Metro fares and slammed the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) for not publishing the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report. He urged Speaker Om Birla to instruct BMRCL through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to immediately publish the FFC report. Speaking during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Surya said, 'About four months ago (in February), BMRCL hiked the Metro fare by almost 130%. Public transport services must be affordable to the common man. This hike has resulted in steep reduction in the ridership as well.' 'Despite multiple requests over the last few months, BMRCL has not made the (FFC) report public yet. This is a democracy and in a democracy, riders deserve to know the basis of the fare hike,' Surya said. Surya said the Metro fares in Bengaluru are the highest in the country with rides above 25 km priced at Rs 90. 'Following public outcry, the BMRCL rationalised the fare structure up to a 71% hike but the fares are still hampering Metro ridership,' he said. In his Zero Hour intervention, Surya also called for the early operationalisation of the Metro Yellow Line, stating that Bengaluru is India's economic engine and is suffering from a big infrastructure deficit and the only way that traffic congestion can be addressed is through expedited Metro expansion and advancing public transport systems. He requested the MoHUA to expedite the opening of the Yellow Line and that it is expected to have an eight-lakh ridership. Surya also urged the MoHUA to expedite the approval for the Metro Red Line, which is awaiting the Union cabinet approval. The Red Line or Phase 3A of Namma Metro is a 36.59-km corridor which will link Sarjapur in the southeast to Hebbal in the north.
Deccan Herald
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Tejasvi Surya flags Namma Metro fare hike in Lok Sabha
Speaking during Zero Hour, Surya said: 'Despite multiple requests over the last few months, BMRCL has not made the report public yet. This is a democracy and in a democracy, riders deserve to know the basis of fare hike.'
News18
a day ago
- Business
- News18
Tejasvi Surya Demands Bengaluru Metro Yellow Line Opening In Lok Sabha Again Ahead Of Likely August Launch
He urged the union government to intervene and expedite the launch of the Yellow Line, which connects Bengaluru's residential areas with the Electronic City. 'I want to request the union minister…the opening of the already delayed Yellow Line of the Bangalore Metro. This connects the residential part of Bengaluru to Electronic City. Once opened, more than 8 lakh people will travel in it every day. My request is to kindly open [it] as soon as possible," he said. The 18.82-km elevated corridor from RV Road to Bommasandra has been ready for more than a year, but its launch was held up due to the delay in coach supply from Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), based in West Bengal. The line has received a safety certificate from the BMRCL, and a final inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) was to be completed. Three trains, no drivers Once operational, the Yellow Line will become the first driverless metro route in the city's prestigious IT corridor. Currently, BMRCL is preparing to launch it with just three six-coach trains, expected to run every 20 minutes—regardless of peak hours. While the line requires at least 14 trains for full-scale operations with a 15-minute frequency, only three are ready so far. Civil works, including track laying and station construction, were completed last year in September. The first prototype driverless train arrived in April 2024 and underwent three months of testing. The second and third trainsets arrived in January and May this year. BMRCL is now targeting an August 15 opening, with limited operations planned at 20-minute intervals. Two more coaches were dispatched from TRSL on July 28, forming part of the fourth trainset. Four more are ready and set to leave on Tuesday, which together will make up another full train. The Yellow Line will link RV Road to Bommasandra with 16 stations, including key stops such as Infosys Foundation-Konappana Agrahara, Electronic City, Kudlu Gate, Bommanahalli, BTM Layout, Jayadeva Hospital, and Ragigudda. 'Why hide the fare hike report?' Surya also took on the Congress-led state government and BMRCL for their refusal to release the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report behind the sharp metro fare hike earlier this year. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, he said, 'Four months ago, BMRCL hiked the metro prices by 130 per cent. Public transport, especially services like the metro, must be affordable to the common man. This increase in fares has led to a deep and steep reduction in ridership." 'In the last four months, despite multiple requests, BMRCL has not made public the fare fixation report. This is a democracy—riders deserve the right to know on what basis the fares were increased by 130 per cent. My request to the minister is to instruct the officials of BMRCL to publish the fare fixation report immediately," the MP demanded. Speaking to News18, Surya said, 'Why is the Congress government in Karnataka and BMRCL hiding the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report? The Karnataka government seems to be waging a war against public transport. This is not the first time a fare hike has been mandated by an FFC. The Delhi Metro has made at least four of its FFC reports public." Earlier this month, Surya filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking the immediate release of the FFC report. The court has issued a notice to the Centre, the state government, and BMRCL. His counsel told the court that three representations had been sent to BMRCL since December 2024, but the report remains undisclosed. 'The media have filed queries under the Right to Information Act. However, BMRCL has refused to reveal the report," the counsel argued. 'Mathematical gymnastics' and 'rollback drama' This isn't the first time Surya has accused BMRCL of playing games. Earlier this year, in February, he had slammed what he called 'mathematical gymnastics" after BMRCL claimed to roll back fares following public backlash. advetisement Surya said in Parliament then that short-distance travel fares had doubled, making Bengaluru Metro the most expensive in the country. 'It defeats the very purpose of offering affordable and sustainable public transport to the middle class," he said. Red Line stuck in red tape Surya also pushed for approval of the proposed Red Line—part of Phase 3A of the Namma Metro network—which is awaiting a green signal from the union ministry of railways.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Release Metro fare report: Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya
Bengaluru: Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya Wednesday demanded the immediate release of the fare-fixation committee report, based on which Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) increased Metro fares in Feb. Raising the issue in Parliament, the MP urged the central govt to expedite operations of the long-pending Yellow Line. "The line connects residential areas with Electronics City, and over 8 lakh people will travel on the line once it is open." Referring to the fare-fixation committee report, Surya said, "Despite multiple requests over the last four months, BMRCL hasn't made it public. This is a democracy — the general public, especially those travelling in Metro, have every right to know on what basis BMRCL increased fares by 130 percent." You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru The MP urged the minister to provide necessary approvals for Metro Red Line project from Sarjapur to Hebbal.
