Tejasvi Surya accuses govt of misleading people over Metro funding

Bengaluru: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has accused the Congress government in Karnataka of misleading the public over Namma Metro’s funding pattern and taking undue credit for investments supported by the Centre. He also blamed the state’s proposed tunnel road project for delaying the Metro Red Line and potentially imposing an additional burden of Rs 2,628 crore on taxpayers.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP office in Malleshwaram, Surya disputed the state government’s claim that Karnataka was bearing 84 per cent of the Metro project cost, while the Centre was contributing only 16 per cent. He said the figures did not reflect the complete funding arrangement, particularly the foreign loans secured with the Centre’s sovereign guarantee.

According to Surya, the Centre’s overall contribution, including loans facilitated through its support, stood at Rs 41,558 crore, accounting for 53.35 per cent of the approved project cost. Karnataka’s contribution was Rs 36,333 crore, or 46.65 per cent, he said.

He maintained that the foreign loans worth around Rs 28,958 crore were raised by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), which would also be responsible for repayment. The state government, he alleged, was incorrectly counting these loans as its own contribution.

Surya further alleged that the state’s North-South Tunnel Road proposal overlapped with the proposed Red Line alignment, forcing changes to the Metro plan. He said the completion deadline could shift from 2031 to 2033, resulting in an estimated additional cost of Rs 2,628 crore. He urged the state government to coordinate infrastructure projects and provide taxpayers with a transparent account of Metro funding and delays.

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The Hans India