BENGALURU: Vendors who had converted the dark subway leading to the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna railway station into a business hub were hurriedly cleared on Tuesday morning to facilitate inauguration of three subways leading from the Kempe Gowda Metro station to different transportation hubs around by Bengaluru Development Minister K J George.
The new subway leading from the Metro station up to KSRTC bus station is posh and well lit but a shocking contrast is in store the minute one enters the subway to the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna railway station as it is littered with paan stains and black walls throughout. “The vendors were ordered to vacate the place in the morning by BBMP and the subway spruced up totally for the evening function,” a source said.
Metro officials admitted that most commuters are usually extremely to take this subway filled with hawkers and notorious for illegal activities, particularly in the late evenings. “Unless BBMP steps in and removes all the vendors from this subway, the whole purpose of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation creating this subway at a cost of `1 crore will go waste,” said a top official.
George told news-persons that a decision to hand it over to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation will be taken. “It is an old subway. I will speak to the BBMP Commissioner and the BMRCL authorities to ensure BMRCL develops the subway in the same way as they have developed the subway from the Metro station.” George also said there was no official sanction for the vendors to carry out their business here. “They have occupied it illegally for years. We will ensure they vacate the place,” he said. BMRCL will take care of proper illumination of the subways, ventilation, lighting, lay granite stones, provide security and install CCTV cameras, he added. Over first 6-coach train, George said, “Testing is under way. It will take at least a month.”
MINISTER’S RIDE HURTS COMMUTERS
Commuters heading home by a Metro train in the Mysuru Road direction at 6.30 pm were in for a shock at Kempe Gowda Metro station when some of them had to get off the train. The reason: Bengaluru Development Minister K J George and his entourage opted to take a Metro towards the next stop, the KSR Metro station. Home Guards and Metro staff ensured the Minister and KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao were first permitted entry into one of the coaches. A number of party workers and media too pushed their way through.
SUBWAYS INAUGURATED
l *Subway between Kempe Gowda Metro station to BMTC and KSRTC transport hubs. They are in turn connected to the railway station using an old subway belonging to BBMP. Cost `1 crore, length 175 metres, width 3 metres.
l *Subway crossing Tank Bund Road and connecting Chikka Lalbagh area. Cost `8 crore
l *Subway from Minerva Mills Road and Gopalapura area of Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna railway station. Length 60 metres, width 4.5 metres.