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BJP MP Tejasvi Surya demands white paper from Karnataka Govt on Bengaluru pothole spending

The Bengaluru South MP pressed the government over stalled Metro work and pending infrastructure projects in Bengaluru.

PTI

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Surya called for stronger coordination among agencies to ensure a unified mechanism for infrastructure delivery (ANI)

Bengaluru, 23 June

BJP leader Tejasvi Surya on Tuesday urged the Karnataka government to focus on completion of pending infrastructure projects, strengthening institutional coordination, accelerating Metro expansion and improving transparency in public spending.

He said Bengaluru's development requires governance reforms rather than repeated announcements.

The Bengaluru South MP also demanded a white paper from the Congress government in Karnataka on pothole management and road works.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru after meeting Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Surya said he had extended full support for initiatives to improve the city's quality of life and submitted a detailed 15-point agenda covering urban infrastructure, transport, housing, water security and administrative reforms.

"I told Krishna Byre Gowda that if his government takes any correct step that benefits Bengaluru and improves the quality of life of Bengaluru's citizens, then as a citizen of Bengaluru and as a Member of Parliament from Bengaluru, we will support city's development with 100% sincerity," the BJP MP said.

He said more than 30 projects announced by the government remained pending and stressed that existing commitments should be completed before new projects are unveiled.

Surya, who is also the national president of BJP Yuva Morcha, called for stronger coordination among agencies such as Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA), Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) and Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL), arguing that the absence of a unified mechanism was hampering infrastructure delivery.

The MP urged the government to appoint and empower a chairman for BMLTA so that it can function as the nodal agency for coordinating multiple civic and transport bodies operating in the city.

Raising concerns over delays in Metro expansion, he said the Orange Line and Metro Phase-3 had received central government approval two years ago but had seen little progress on the ground. "It has been two years since approval, yet not even a tender has been floated. Not a single brick has been laid," Surya said.

The MP criticised proposals to reduce the size of Metro stations and platforms to lower construction costs, contending that such measures would constrain future capacity in a rapidly growing city.

He also advocated extending Metro operating hours from 5 am and increasing the BMTC fleet to meet Bengaluru's expanding mobility needs.

Surya said the Karnataka government had failed to utilise opportunities available under the Union Government's Urban Challenge Fund and rental housing schemes.

According to him, no Bengaluru project proposal had been submitted under the Rs one lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund, while no rental housing units had been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-linked rental housing initiative despite its announcement two years ago.

He also highlighted the need for a long-term strategy to tackle recurring water shortages, including lake conservation and groundwater recharge measures.

Surya questioned successive announcements of expenditure running into thousands of crores for road repairs and upgrades, claiming that road conditions had not improved proportionately.

"Where has all this money gone? The people of Bengaluru deserve to know," he said while citing multiple government announcements on pothole repair and road development spending over the past three years.

Surya demanded that the government publish a White Paper within 30 days detailing expenditure on road works and pothole management.

"My primary demand is that within 30 days the government must publish a White Paper explaining expenditure on pothole management and road works over the last three years," he said.

The BJP MP also called for a publicly accessible digital dashboard to track infrastructure projects, contractors, engineers, timelines and accountability mechanisms.

He said citizens should be able to monitor road works in real time and know who is responsible for execution and maintenance.

"In a technology city like Bengaluru, why can't there be a live public dashboard?" he asked.

Surya maintained that Bengaluru's challenges originate from fragmented institutions, weak accountability and delays in project execution.