Tejasvi Surya disputes Karnataka's claim over Bengaluru Metro funding share
The BJP MP says the Centre's contribution to the metro's approved funding plan is 53.35 per cent.
Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya has rejected claims by the Karnataka government that the state bears 83.8 per cent of the Namma Metro costs. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Surya stated that the approved funding plan for Phases 1 to 3, totalling Rs 77,891 crore, places the Centre's contribution at Rs 41,558 crore, or 53.35 per cent.
The MP's comments follow claims by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishan Byre Gowda that Karnataka has contributed Rs 65,291 crore, or 83.8 per cent, while the Centre provided Rs 12,600 crore, or 16.2 per cent. According to Deccan Herald, Surya argued the state's figures result from shifting Rs 28,958 crore of foreign loans, facilitated by the Centre, into Karnataka's column.
Surya also denied that the Centre is delaying approvals for upcoming metro lines. He attributed delays in Phase 3 to the state's plan for a double-decker route and noted that Phase 3A delays were due to overlapping tunnel and flyover proposals requiring scrutiny.
In response, the state Congress used a home-loan analogy to dispute the MP's claims. The party challenged Surya to ask the Union government to repay the Rs 28,958-crore loan, including principal and interest.