Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said development should be kept separate from politics during the metro inauguration on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pink Line of the Bengaluru metro on Friday, covering the stretch from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere. The project, built at a cost of approximately Rs 3,470 crore, includes a 7.5-km elevated section that is expected to begin operating for public use from 6 am on November 14, according to The Pioneer.
The Prime Minister travelled on the metro alongside Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Governor Sudha Yadav, and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya. The Pink Line has a total length of 21.25 km and comprises 18 stations, with 12 underground stations still under construction.
Speaking to reporters during a ride from Kalena Agrahara to SG Palya, Shivakumar recounted a light-hearted exchange where he joked that he had no money and asked the Prime Minister to buy his ticket. He noted that Modi swiped his card for him.
Shivakumar stated that political disagreements should not prevent cooperation on infrastructure and that politics should be restricted to elections. He added that the Prime Minister wants development to happen and described his equation with Modi as one based on mutual respect.
Modi said the central Government is extending support to the expansion of Namma Metro, noting that the network has grown from 17 km in 2014 to more than 100 km today. He described Bengaluru as a major engine of India's innovation and economic growth.
