Chandigarh Congress slams BJP over Khattar remark on Metro

The city Congress has slammed the BJP for fresh doubts being raised by Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Development, about meeting the operational costs of the proposed Metro project.

Accusing the BJP government of treating the Metro transport system merely as a money-making enterprise, Rajiv Sharma, spokesperson for the Chandigarh Congress, said the BJP was ignoring the immensely positive social, economic and environmental impact that this project would have on the city and its adjoining areas. He said in a welfare state like India, the government was duty-bound to invest in the projects having an overall beneficial impact on society, even when these may not generate enough monetary profits.

He said the quality of civic life in the city has been continuously deteriorating due to frequent traffic jams and resultant air and noise pollution. He alleged that “in past 10 years, the BJP government has not been able to decide even on the type of suitable transport system for the city.”