Controversy Over Tumakuru Metro Extension: Urban Planning Nightmare or Progress?

Bengaluru South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya criticizes the Congress government for the high cost and impracticality of extending metro services to Tumakuru. He argues that a metro extension is an 'urban planning nightmare' and that suburban trains are a more suitable option, citing poor planning and exorbitant costs.

Bengaluru South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya has slammed the Congress-led Karnataka government's plan to extend metro services to Tumakuru, labeling it an 'urban planning nightmare.' The project, costing an estimated Rs 20,896 crore, has been under scrutiny after Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd initiated the tender process for a Detailed Project Report.

Surya used his official 'X' account to question the viability of a metro line for Tumakuru, expressing concerns about the exorbitant costs involved. He suggested that suburban trains offer a more practical solution for linking Tumakuru with Bengaluru, instead of investing heavily in a project that might take years for completion.

Surya criticized the Congress government for what he termed 'illogical ideas,' arguing that the average operating speed of metro services, akin to buses in long-distance travel, falls short of meeting inter-city transportation needs. He called for a focus on developing the delayed suburban rail network to enhance connectivity, rather than pursuing costly metro projects.

(With inputs from agencies.)