Bengaluru: For Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB) activists, after #Steelflyoverbeda campaign they are rooting for #Chukubuku beku, the suburban rail service for the city, which has been hanging fire for nearly three decades.
“We want the whole thing to be taken seriously. A month ago, Bengaluru Development Minister George approved a part of the commuter rail from Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield and Naiyandanahalli to Ramanagara, because it can complement the Metro. However, nothing has been implemented so far,” said Srinivas Alavalli, member, CfB.
There has been no action taken by officials since then and cries for the suburban rail only got stronger. A human chain has been planned for December 17. When Railway officials were contacted about the stretch okayed by George, there seem to have been little progress.
“We are waiting for the commuter rail a.k.a MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) to come from the production unit. This could take another month,” said Sridhar Murthy, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the South Western Railways (SWR)
“Once the rake is purchased, we will send the plan to the Railways Ministry for final approval. Once they sanction it, only then can we begin,” said Sanjiv Agarwal, DRM of SWR.
However, Alavalli said, “On December 17 hundreds of people will board the trains from Bengaluru Cantonment, Bengaluru East, Baiyappanahalli, K.R. Puram, Hoody and Whitefield stations. We will also address the press at Whitefield on the benefits of commuter rail.”
