Cabinet nod for Rs 5.9k cr metro link to Bengaluru int airport

The Karnataka cabinet today gave its approval to a Rs 5,950 crore project for providing metro rail connectivityto the international airport on the city outskirts.
The 29.62 km long Metro project that will connect Nagavara here and Kempegowda International airport will have seven stations.
The time frame for completing the project is 2021.
On completion, 1.2 lakh people were projected to be benefited, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after the cabinet meeting here.
He said the Detailed Project Report had been preparedand Rs 5,950 crore was expected to be invested in theproject.
It would be financed through Rs 1,000 crore collected by the Bengaluru International Airport Limited as Passenger Service Fee, Rs 1,350 crore from state government, Rs 500 crore from Centre and about Rs 3000 crore as loan.

The 42-3 km long first phase of Bengaluru Metro Rail Project, popularly named 'Namma Metro' to the city residents and started in 2008, was opened to public in different phases.

The last section of first phase, measuring 11.3 km was opened in June this year.
The second phase is already under implementation and would add another 72 kms to the existing network. After the expansion, it was expected to carry more than 15 lakh passengers per day.
The cabinet also cleared a proposal foridentification of special agriculture production zones for farmers' benefit.
Jayachandra said the move was intended to encourage production of food crops, like producing vegetables in urban areas and to support establishment of allied industries nearby, based on the suggestion made by a vision group headed by Prof Swaminathan.

Other decisions taken by the cabinet includeapproval of 'Seva Sindhu', making it mandatory for variousdepartment services to offer services through the online portal and delegation of powers to the Bengaluru Smart City Limited- a Special Purpose Vehicle under Smart Cities Mission.
Seva Sindhu has been developed with an objective to enable a single window access to information and services being provided by the various government departments.