Bengaluru: A day after the Congress govt claimed the Centre’s share in capital infusion for Bangalore Metro project plummeted to 16% over years, BJP Thursday argued the 84% figure was arrived at by wrongly counting BMRCL loans as the state’s contribution.
Ahead of the inauguration of Namma Metro’s 7.5-km elevated Pink Line stretch between Kalena Agrahara and Suddaguntepalya by PM Modi on Friday, BJP claimed the financing pattern for Bangalore Metro is 54:46, contrary to Congress govt’s 84:16 calculation.
Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya accused the Congress govt of indulging in ‘credit chori’ and alleged nearly Rs 29,000 crore in foreign loans provided to BMRCL by international financial institutions, backed by the Centre’s sovereign guarantee, had been included in the state’s contribution to project Karnataka govt’s share as substantially higher. BJP’s response came after Greater Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda stated that of the total Namma Metro project cost of Rs 77,891 crore, the state govt had contributed Rs 65,291 crore, while the Centre’s contribution stood at Rs 12,600 crore. Surya said the elevated corridor of Pink line had received central approval in 2014, but the then Congress govt awarded the construction contract only in 2017.
They are misleading the public through mischievous accounting,” Surya said. Byre Gowda said his speech, included in the draft programme, was excised late night. PM Narendra Modi , governor Sudha Yadav, chief minister DK Shivakumar and Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya will address the gathering, according to the final programme schedule.
“This money is routed to BMRCL, which is also responsible for repaying loans. Where is the state govt’s contribution to this?
