The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Centre will support metro project'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 26, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Centre will support metro project'

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: Union Minister for Urban Development S. Jaipal Reddy said here on Thursday the Union Government had decided to support the Bangalore metro rail project, which would use standard gauge.

"The planning stage has been completed, and I understand work will start very soon,'' he added.

Speaking to presspersons after inaugurating the "National conference on urban development and municipal geographical information systems", Mr. Reddy said: "I have no information about the monorail proposal, and am not in a position to comment on it. The metro rail is almost entirely funded by the Union and State governments while the proposed monorail is supposed to be through private parties on build, own, operate and transfer basis. I don't know much about it,'' he said.

"All State governments planning major public transportation projects have to forward detailed project reports which we examine and approve. This was the case with Bangalore Metro,'' he explained.

Asked whether the metro rail project had received a fillip after the new coalition assumed office in the State, Mr. Reddy said: "I don't give ratings to State governments.'' About Central funding for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, he made it clear it was based on the State and local governments going in for technology such as the GIS.

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