BJP MP Tejasvi Surya.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Bengaluru: Bangalore South MP, LS Tejasvi Surya, has urged the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to recommend a performance audit of Namma Metro by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
The PAC, chaired by Alappuzha MP KC Venugopal, met in Bengaluru on Wednesday to discuss various public projects, including metro transportation systems.
Surya, a PAC member, highlighted Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited's (BMRCL) "administrative and operational inefficiencies" in a letter to Venugopal.
Citing repeated delays in the opening of the Yellow and Pink lines, he pointed to "systemic inefficiencies" within the BMRCL that have "grossly affected public funds while the traffic congestion is only getting worse".
"A thorough audit will help address these concerns and ensure transparency and accountability for the future of Bengaluru's metro system," he said.
Since the PAC examines project spending and upholds financial discipline, Surya called for a similar review of the BMRCL to assess its "administrative shortcomings and inefficiencies".
The scrutiny sheet: Points to ponder
a) Cost overruns due to project delays and their implications for public funds.
b) Traffic congestion and productivity losses caused by the increase in private vehicles due to delayed metro operations.
c) The environmental impact, including the adverse effects of increased vehicular emissions on air quality and climate.
d) Detailed reasons for delays in various metro projects and lessons learnt to prevent future delays.
e) Effectiveness of measures taken to address these delays and whether these actions have yielded the desired results.
f) The status of achieving the 317-km metro network in Bengaluru as outlined in the Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2031, along with an assessment of the strategies employed to meet this goal.