Metro on track before Sept 25: CM
Gowda was speaking to reporters after launching the Namma Metro travel card, the online purchase of the card, top-up facility of travel (through Airtel retail outlets) and the Namma Metro Toll Free Number 1800 425 12345.
He said: “We are confident of commissioning the project before September 25. We will confirm the date once we receive the safety certificate and after consulting the Prime Minister. We are doing our best”.
Gowda said a team from the office of the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) will conduct inspection between September 6 and September 9, following which Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will receive the safety certificate, provided the CMRS is satisfied with everything.
Deccan Herald had reported earlier that the CMRS would be inspecting the project next week after the CMRS, D K Singh, himself had confirmed the news. He has, following pressure to expedite the process of issuing the safety certificate, already begun scrutinising the documents from BMRCL, even before the inspection.
The certificate, Gowda said, will be obtained in two to three days after the team completes the inspection. The team will not only be inspecting the coaches and tracks, but will also be looking into the stations and all other aspects of the project.
Travel card cost
The travel card costs Rs 50, but is being sold at Rs 100 with Rs 50 top-up that can be used for travelling in the Metro, from the day of its commercial launch on Reach-1. BMRCL said Airtel was chosen to sell the Namma Metro top-ups after a tender process that had three other mobile phone service providers in the fray.
Bharti Airtel Karnataka COO, PVV Srinivasa Rao, in an official communique, said: “We are excited to join hands with BMRCL to offer commuters the convenience of recharging Namma Metro travel card at all Airtel retail outlets across the City.”
Gowda, obliging to the request of BMRCL officials, “purchased” a travel card worth Rs 100 along with Mayor Sharadamma, Deputy Mayor S Harish, Minister for BWSSB Suresh Kumar and Minister for PWD C M Udasi. The Metro tariff ranges between Rs 10 and Rs 15.
BMRCL Managing Director N Sivasailam, speaking about the anticipated rush to use the Metro, said: “Although we are anticipating a turnout of about 25,000 to 35,000 persons per day, the police estimation is 60,000.”
The peak handling capacity of BMRCL between M G Road and Byappanahalli is about 80,000 persons per day. In another move aimed at revenue generation, BMRCL will, sources said, have an online auction for those preferring the first nine numbers of the travel card beginning from 110014 00001.
The “premium numbers,”–– 110014 00010 to 110014 00100–– as the Corporation terms it, will be priced Rs 1 lakh. Gowda, sources in BMRCL said: “chose a card with the serial number 110014 23249”.
Advantages
* Saves time and effort
* No need to stand in queue – recharge from any of the numerous Airtel retail touch points near home
* Customers just need to follow a procedure similar to recharging their phones
* Available for Airtel and non-Airtel users
Sales begin
The travel card went on sale soon after the launch on Friday. The tickets, with the top-up facility, were made available at the six stations on Reach-1 –– M G Road, Trinity, Ulsoor, CMH Road, Swami Vivekananda Road and Byappanahalli. Tickets will be available from 8 am to 8 pm here.
They are also available to customers of State Bank of India at its branches. The travel cards can also be purchased online at www.bmrc.co.in.
‘BMRCL has belittled Kannada’
A few legislators on Friday criticised the BMRCL for not giving enough importance to Kannada-speaking people and the language.
Kannada Development Authority Chairperson Mukhyamantri Chandru complained to Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda that the Corporation’s website did not have a Kannada interface.
Mahalakshmi Layout MLA N L Narendra Babu also took exception for not distributing press releases in Kannada.
Chandru, while requesting Gowda to consider these as serious lapses, requested the chief minister to take appropriate action. Gowda, who expressed shock over the matter, promised to set things in order, and issued directions to BMRCL to immediately give prominence to Kannada.
BMRCL maintained that the site with contents in Kannada was under construction and would be available at the earliest.