Karnataka Minister Accuses Railway Minister of Misleading on Metro Fare Hike
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Karnataka's Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy criticized Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for allegedly misleading the public about the Bengaluru metro fare hike. Reddy emphasized the legal framework governing fare revisions and accused BJP leaders of taking false credit for the project initiated during the Congress government.
Key Takeaways
- Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy criticized Ashwini Vaishnaw.
- Reddy claims Vaishnaw misled the public about metro fares.
- Legal framework for fare hikes was discussed.
- Committee for fare revision formed by the Central government.
- Criticism of BJP MPs taking credit for the metro project.
Bengaluru, Feb 17 (NationPress) Karnataka's Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy criticized Union Minister for Railways and Information & Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw for his remarks regarding the metro fare increase in Bengaluru, accusing him of misleading the public.
During a press conference at Vidhana Soudha on Monday, Reddy stated, "These individuals don’t comprehend legal stipulations. Therefore, discussing their assertions is futile."
In reference to Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Reddy commented, "He has made statements without proper understanding, merely echoing untruths. This is part of a strategy by a propaganda-oriented party."
Reddy also directed criticism towards BJP Members of Parliament in Bengaluru, asserting, "Two MPs from the city are incorrectly taking credit for the metro project. They must acknowledge that it was launched during the era of former PM Manmohan Singh."
Furthermore, he condemned BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi, and former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar.
"There exists a legal framework guiding the metro fare increase. As outlined in Section 34 of the Metro Act 2002, revisions of metro fares necessitate formal protocols. Every state operating metro services submits a request to the central government for fare adjustments," he explained.
Following such a request, the Central government establishes a committee to review and recommend fare increases. For Bengaluru's metro, this request was made, resulting in the formation of a committee on September 7, 2024, as per the Central government's letter.
The committee appointed by the Central government to revise fares includes former Madras High Court Judge Justice R. Tharini as Chairperson, alongside Satinder Pal Singh Bhase, Additional Secretary from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (Government of India), and Ramana Reddy, a retired IAS officer, as members, he stated.
Reddy asserted that this committee has already provided its recommendations for fare adjustments. However, under the Metro Act, this committee does not report to the state government.
"The fare revision recommendations were presented at the Metro Board Meeting before the Chairperson and the Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (Government of India). The state government has merely one representative on the Metro Board. The ultimate decision regarding fare increases lies with the Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India," Minister Reddy remarked.
"Consequently, metro authorities do not present fare hike proposals to the state government, and the same procedure is applied across all metro-operating states in India," he emphasized.
Ramalinga Reddy highlighted that it was the visionary leadership of the Congress government that brought the metro to Bengaluru, accusing certain BJP leaders of falsely claiming credit.
He criticized BJP leaders, stating, “The same individuals who were sharing 'Our Metro, Our Metro' on social media, portraying it as solely a matter for the Central government, are now blaming the state government for fare hikes. Aren’t they ashamed or lacking integrity?”
He remarked, "BJP leaders lack the courage to confront the Central government. They should clarify whether the Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs associated with the Union government operates under the state government or the Central government...BJP leaders in Karnataka must have the backbone to challenge the Prime Minister. They profess to fight for the rights of land and water but hesitate to advocate for the people. Despite the election of 17 BJP MPs from Karnataka, they have accomplished nothing.”
In response to concerns regarding the metro fare increase, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw claimed that the state government holds full responsibility for the rise in ticket prices.
“All responsibilities associated with the metro are under the state government’s jurisdiction. Nonetheless, a committee for metro fare revision exists only in Karnataka, not in Delhi. Given these circumstances, it is unjust to attribute blame to the BJP for the fare hike,” he articulated.
The Union Minister elaborated that similar policies are in effect in other major cities, including Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. Metro projects fall under the authority of state governments, which possess the power to make all decisions related to metro services. The state government is accountable for every development associated with metro services. The Central government has not issued any directives regarding metro fares," he concluded.
