Mysore metro proposal chugs on

The Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) announced after a meeting in April 2005 that the officials of the Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS), who were giving shape to the Bangalore Metro would be requested to conduct a survey and submit a report within 3-4 months, after the state government cleared the proposal.

Delhi Metro expert Sridharan was also consulted during a visit to Mysore. Nevertheless, it did not go beyond the announcement.

Now that his own party is in the sadle in the state BJP MP C H Vijayashankar is confident of pushing the Mysore Metro proposal further from there. He has asked the MUDA not to delay any more in initiating the proposal.

"MUDA has not taken any action so far on the Metro proposal. Metro or mono, it should identify the land and notify the same now alone, so that there should be no problem for land for a city rail system later," he said at a press meet.

District Minister Shoba Karandlaje has convened a meeting of State and district officials in Bangalore on May 20-21 to discuss Mysore's development projects, their implementation and progress. "We will discuss the Mysore Metro also at this meeting and request the Government to give a green signal for the survey, so that the work begins in a year," Vijayashankar said.

Criticising the indifferent attitude of the MUDA officials in responding to the local aspirations on projects like Metro, peripheral ring road and identifying land for bus stands around the city, the Mysore MP warned, "We have our own Government in the State now. They cannot continue to be indifferent towards development projects. They have to give top priority for their execution."

He also criticized the previous coalition governments, including the government headed by H D Kumaraswamy for being lackadaisical towards major projects. "The situation has changed now. With our own government in office, we will speed up the projects. We will revitalise the administration," the Lok Sabha member said.

Construction of four bus stands at the four city corners to ease traffic would be taken up and a report sent to the government for approval in the next 15-20 days. The MUDA has been asked to select land for the bus stands, he said.

Vijayashankar claimed that because of his initiatives more funds had come for the Mandakalli Airport development, rail-track doubling between Bangalore-Mysore and creation of additional platforms and modernisation of the Mysore Railway Station.

Deputy director of Scheduled Castes and Tribes Mayadevi Galagali said three additional Morarji Desai residential schools were sanctioned for Mysore district, one each at Bannur (T Narasipur taluk), Saligrama (K R Nagar) and Halaganahalli (Periyapatna) and three girls' hostels at Saligrama, Gerasanahalli (Hunsur taluk) and Halaganahalli in addition to increasing inmates' strength by 450 in the existing hostels.