Karnataka   

Metro: ‘objective is to maintain beauty of stations’

BANGALORE: The Metro Rail has been in the news for a while now, for different reasons. With environmentalists protesting against the alignment, much of public opinion has been against Metro. This is probably what made N. Shivasailam, Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL), attend an interactive meeting organised by the Jayanagar Residents’ Association on Friday. The meeting was aimed at making people aware of the Metro and its implications on the environment.

Addressing the residents Mr. Shivasailam said: “It is possible to have a Metro city alongside a garden city. Both can co-exist.”

Asserting that the main objective was to maintain the beauty of the stations, he said that the green cover around the stations would be maintained.

The foliage around the stations would be kept as it was even after the construction, he said. He said that fountains and other attractions would be added to enhance the beauty around the stations. Ensuring that the axed trees would be replaced, he said that 15,000 trees had been planted since the last three years.

Mr. Shivasailam also explained that the station walkways would be disabled-friendly. Even the visually challenged commuters would be able to access the stations conveniently.

The programme, which served as a platform for discussion between the residents and the BMRCL officials, raised many questions with members of the audience suggesting whether some roads would be taken off the Metro alignment.

“Can we avoid R.V. Road Station?” asked one of the residents, to which Mr. Shivasailam replied that it was difficult to avoid any station.

“You must consider taking the Metro underground. Although it is expensive, it is a one-time investment that would protect the trees and our heritage,” said Dharma Somashekar, a resident.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Construction work in the Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary comes to a halt
Music convention at Sirsi today
Chitradurga gets dialysis unit
‘Set up farm research centre’
Meet on safety measures at Kaiga
CBI probe sought into advocate’s murder
Harihar MLA’s bail petition rejected
Sharadamba school’s jubilee celebrations
‘Send them to school’
Chickaballapur police bust tractor racket
Compensation sought
Kelasoor Jina basadi to be renovated
Officials inspect wells of Kuthettor
Thousands witness Biligiri car festival
President calls for scientific responses to meet new challenges to society
Engagements
BDA recovers property
Walkathon
Pratibha Patil to visit Mysore Palace today
Leave BBMP ward quotas to poll panel, says R.V. Deshpande
Metro: ‘objective is to maintain beauty of stations’
President visits Infosys campus

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu