ISKCON urges Bangalore Metro to build skywalk to temple from Mahalakshmi Layout station

"Devotees need to walk nearly 500 metres on this road which is highly congested in the face of huge traffic... Hence, we request BMRCL again to urgently take steps to build a skywalk here," said Dasa
ISKCON has requested BMRCL to provide a skywalk from Mahalakshmi Metro station to the Hare Krishna Hill temple for the benefit of devotees (Photo | Express)
ISKCON has requested BMRCL to provide a skywalk from Mahalakshmi Metro station to the Hare Krishna Hill temple for the benefit of devotees (Photo | Express)

BENGALURU: With President Ram Nath Kovind set to launch the magnificent Sri Rajadiraja Govinda temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on June 14, the organisation is reiterating its appeal to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to facilitate pedestrian connectivity via a foot overbridge for its existing Hare Krishna Hill temple in Rajaji Nagar from Mahalakshmi Metro station. It is crucial now as devotees would be keen to visit both the ISKCON temples using Metro trains, it says.

Naveena Neerada Dasa, Head, Strategic Communications, ISKCON, told The New Indian Express, "The Sri Rajadiraja Govinda Temple, a replica of the famous Tirumala temple, will be inaugurated by the President very shortly. Our present temple is a major tourist attraction in Bengaluru and it would be the same with the upcoming one, near the Doddakallasandra Metro station. Devotees would definitely want to visit both and the big plus for all is they are both linked by the Metro network."

A major chunk of devotees presently visit the temple on Chord Road by alighting at Mahalakshmi Layout Metro station boosting patronage for the station manifold. "Due to limited parking facilities to cater to the huge rush, many devotees prefer public transport. However, they need to walk nearly 500 metres on this road which is highly congested in the face of huge traffic. After walking this stretch, devotees need to walk a good distance inside the temple too. Hence, we request BMRCL again to urgently take steps to build a skywalk here. We have already erected a skywalk through BBMP connecting both sides of the road as we found many falling down and meeting with accidents due to incoming vehicles when crossing over from the side of the Guruvaryoor temple side. Even our security staffer lost his life sometime ago when crossing from our temple across the road," said Dasa.

ISKCON has plans to build a skywalk near Doddakallasandra Metro station to facilitate connectivity to the Kanakapura temple, he added.

On Feburary 26, 2020, it had sent a formal communication requesting for the skywalk on Chord Road to the Managing Director of BMRCL. "We will be sending BMRCL another request shortly," Dasa said. The tourism department of the Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry too had urged BMRCL to put in place the skywalk during a presentation it made on its premises way back in 2016.

Top BMRCL officials withheld comment on the issue.

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