Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Friday said that the M.G. Road Boulevard, that was once a walkers' paradise, would be restored to its glory.
Speaking to presspersons after inspecting the progress of work on Namma Metro Reach 1 here, Mr. Yeddyurappa, however, did not specify any time frame for the restoration even though civil works beneath the elevated track are complete. He said facilities for the display of arts and crafts, musical performances and plays will be made available at the boulevard once it is restored.
The boulevard between Anil Kumble Junction and Cauvery Emporium Junction was once famous for its bougainvilleas and extensive tree cover. The entire stretch has now become unrecognizable after the work on the Bangalore Metro began in 2007.
The Chief Minister said that the space beneath the elevated metro tracks across the city would be made use for temporary events.
For example, the space on Swami Vivekananda Road in Ulsoor would be utilised for holding fairs (rural Santhes), Chitra Santhes and other similar activities, Mr. Yeddyurappa said. The green cover that had been lost and the water bodies, along the elevated track, that had been affected because of the construction work would be restored after the work was completed, he added.
On time
Expressing happiness over the pace of work on Reach 1 of Namma Metro, Mr. Yeddyurappa reiterated that the stretch between Byappanahalli and M.G. Road would be commissioned by December. He said that the civil works were almost complete.
Mr. Yeddyurappa visited the Byappanahalli Metro Depot as well as the elevated track sites on M.G. Road and Swami Vivekananda Road. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S. Suresh Kumar; IT&BT Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu; Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., (BMRCL) Managing Director N. Sivasailam; directors B.S. Sudhir Chandra (Project), D. D. Pahuja (Rolling Stock) and Gopinath (Finance) were present.
City Rounds
During the inspection, Mr. Yeddyurappa visited the Veterinary College, Mysore Lamps and the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd.
The Veterinary College Dean S. Yathiraj urged the Chief Minister to provide funds to upgrade the facilities on the college campus, which is part of the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University. Mr. Yeddyurappa interacted with students of B.V.Sc. & A.H. inside a classroom.
After visiting Mysore Lamps, Mr. Yeddyurappa said the Government would chalk out a plan to utilise the land of the factory, which has been closed down.
