CRS - Campaign to send 100 Petitions to CM asking for immediate approval

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Commuter Rail

Dear Prajagale,

Time has come for all of us to join and support the 'Namma Railu' team in demanding immediate approval to the 'Commuter Rail Project'. Namma Railu team is starting a campaign for sending at least '100 Petitions' to Chief Minister and other government machinery. Please help NR team in this effort.

Draft of the petition and the contact email information is available @

  1. Draft Petition to CM
  2. Email to CM and other government

Directions to Send the petition to CM

  1. You may copy and paste the contents from the draft in a new word document.
  2. Fill in your information where ever required.
  3. Save the file. Review once again to make sure there are no typos. If any edit them and save it again.
  4. Print, sign and Post it via Registered Post to CM's address given below:

The Hon. Chief Minister,
Government Of Karnataka,
Room No. 323,
Vidhana Soudha,
Bangalore-560001

Ph: 22253414, 22253424

Email IDs of Karnataka Chief Minister

  1. chiefminister@karnataka.gov.in
  2. contact@jagadishshettar.com
  3. info@jagadishshettar.com

 

The state Chief Minister is one entity who alone can decide the fate of CRS implementation. Let us start writing to him letters, emails and persist with our demand for early implementation of CRS in Bengaluru.

As our friend, a Praja member Navin Chandra had said, "...Transportation is not a technical problem. It is not an infrastructure problem, It is not even a financial problem. Most often it is a political problem..."

How true it is. CRS now is a political problem and only politician can make it happen. Therefore lets start putting pressure on politicians by contacting them over phone, emails and writing formal letters to them. Lets start with our Chief Minister.

Do not wait any more. Start sending letters, emails. Target is 100 Petitions.

After sending the letter/email, leave a comment, so that count is visible to all.

On behalf of NR Team,

Syed

 

 

Groups:

Comments

I have sent mine, count is 001!

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191 users have liked.

I have sent mine. Looking forward to the remaining 99.

So the count is 001

-Syed

I have sent mine as well long back, count is 002

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202 users have liked.

Now the count is 002.

Looking forward for remaining 98.

 

Deepak

I have sent mine as well long back, count is 005

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175 users have liked.

I have sent 3 from 3mail accounts

Now the count is 005.

Looking forward for remaining 95

Hkg

I have Sent Mail, Count is 006

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197 users have liked.

I have sent mail and as well as posted the link on my facebook wall, hoping for support.

 

Thanks,

  Rohith

Regards, Rohith C S

Count me

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185 users have liked.

I have sent the mail and will be sending hard copy in a day.

Looking ahead for more people to do this.

sanjeev

 

 

I too sent

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202 users have liked.

I sent mail to the CM and other relavent ministers in center and state.

The count is 008 !

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189 users have liked.

Thanks to all the Praja members who responded to teh call and send in their Email/Petition to CM.

So for the count is - 8, need another 92 to make it 100.

Pls send in your petitions if haven't send in yet.

 

-Syed

CRS, Count 009

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177 users have liked.

I have sent today.

K.V.Pathy

me done too 010

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197 users have liked.

the big 10! :P

btw..will the CM's office spare any time for this or will this be called spam?

count 011

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184 users have liked.

have sent a letter... also forwarded to friends to insisting to send the same.

 

 

sent... 012?

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sent... 012?

Sent ...013

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181 users have liked.

Sent to 10 different recipients, but the one sent to transport secretary has been returned undelivered.

sent ...014

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187 users have liked.

Mailed out the petition on behalf of RAAG today. Will follow up with hard copies later in the day.

Muralidhar Rao

sent ...018

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176 users have liked.

4more from my freinds Harsha, Kumar, Chethan & Srikanth. Thanks to them for sending mails as well as Hard copies.

Hkg

Sent 2 reminders to CM and Rajeev Chandrashekhar!

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181 users have liked.

Haven't seen any reply to emails to CM. Since my first email, I have sent in 2 more follow up emails. Till date no response.

In addition I sent an follow up email to Rajeev Chandrashekhar too.

-Syed

RTI may be required to get the reply

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I think we need to file RTI to know what action they have taken on our e-mail petition.

Regards,

Hemanth

got reply from CM office when I talked about Hubli Local Train

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When I did't not get reply for the Bangalore Commuter Rail  from CM office,  then I sent request to him to take up the Hubli - Dharwad Local Train 25 Kms on existing track,  got immediat reply and  they forwarded the mail to IDD to look into the requirement.

That means they are reading our  mails and not replying  on Bangalore Commuter Rail.

Also it seems last week Tumkur MP Mr G S Basavarj had met the CM and given in writing  to speed up the Commuter Rail approval,  it seems,  CM directed CS to look into the issue why its pending.

So we need more and more MP's and MLA's to ask CM to  send proposal to Center for further action.

 

Not a bad idea!

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hemanth,

Agree. Not a bad idea to file an RTI. Let me know if you would like to take a lead on that.

-Syed

20 Emails to MPs, Ministers, Railway Board, SWR Sent!

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Just to be on record, today I have sent about 20 emails covering MPs from Bangalore, Union Ministers, Party Leaders (BJP, Congress), Railway Board, SWR, Sam Pitroda and Prime Minister.

Here is the List of people who I have sent Email petition for CRS:

  1. The Prime Minister
  2. Sonia Gandhi, President Congress Party
  3. Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary, Congress
  4. L. K. Advani, Leader, BJP
  5. Sushma Swaraj, BJP
  6. Arun Jaitley, BJP
  7. C. P. Joshi, Minister of Railways
  8. Jairam Ramesh, Rural Development Minister
  9. S. M. Krishna, Minister for External Affairs
  10. Veerappa Moily, Minister for Company Law
  11. Ananth Kumar, MP Bangalore South
  12. Chandre Gowda, MP Bangalore North
  13. P. C. Mohan, Bangalore Central
  14. Venkiah Naidu, MP, Rajya Sabha
  15. Sam Pitrida, Adviser to PM
  16. Chairman, railway Board
  17. SWR General Manager
  18. SWR Divisional Manager (Bangalore)
  19. Krishna Byre Gowda, MLA
  20. G S Basavaraj, MP Tumkur

Let see how many would even acknowledge this email.

-Syed

Status of my emails !

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Here is the status of my emails to PM, CM, MPs, Railways:

  1. The Prime Minister - Received a Auto Reply acknowledging the email.
  2. Chief Minister, GOK - 3 Reminders, No Reply
  3. Sonia Gandhi, President Congress Party - Delivery Failed
  4. Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary, Congress - No Response
  5. L. K. Advani, Leader, BJP - No Response
  6. Sushma Swaraj, BJP - No Response
  7. Arun Jaitley, BJP - No Response
  8. C. P. Joshi, Minister of Railways - Delivery Failed
  9. Jairam Ramesh, Rural Development Minister - No Response
  10. S. M. Krishna, Minister for External Affairs - No Response
  11. Veerappa Moily, Minister for Company Law - No Response
  12. Ananth Kumar, MP Bangalore South - No Response
  13. Chandre Gowda, MP Bangalore North - No Response
  14. P. C. Mohan, Bangalore Central - No Response,
  15. Venkiah Naidu, MP, Rajya Sabha - No Response
  16. Sam Pitroda, Adviser to PM - No Response
  17. Chairman, railway Board - Delivery Failed
  18. SWR General Manager - Delivery Failed
  19. SWR Divisional Manager (Bangalore) - Delivery Failed
  20. Krishna Byre Gowda, MLA - No Response
  21. G S Basavaraj, MP Tumkur - Delivery Failed

Alternate Email Ids of Karnataka CM !

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Dear Prajagale,

It seems like  nobody looks at Karantaka CM's official email ID 'chiefminister@karnataka.gov.in'.

Instead try using these email IDs.

  1. contact@jagadishshettar.com
  2. info@jagadishshettar.com

-Syed

Auto reply from CM's alternate Email Ids!

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Received an auto reply to my emails to CM's alternate email Ids as listed in above comment.

Here is the auto reply from CM:

 
 
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:52 AM
Subject: Thanks for contacting us
 

Thanks for contacting us and we will get back to you at the earliest.

 

Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:52 AM
Subject: Thanks for contacting us
 

Thanks with regards Jagadish shettar

P C Mohan Bangalore Central MP office confirmed about receiving

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I called Bangalore Central MP  office and confirmed about  the mails received about the Commuter Rail.

Lets see what other MP & Offices will they reply with some action

Sent hard copy

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190 users have liked.

Please up the count by 1. I think it is 19 now.

Sent...20

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Sent ....20?

Sanjeev & Praja in TOI today for CRS

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 Praja, an NGO working on civic issues, has commenced an online campaign to send 100 petitions to the chief minister to start the CRS with the given infrastructure, now that the project studies done by RITES indicate so. 
    “As the chief minister is the only one who can give the nod, we decided to campaign for implementation of the project. Funds allotted by the infrastructure development department (IDD) during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 budgets for this project are reserved by CM and can be released to railways to start more works in other parts of the corridor,” said Sanjeev V Dyamannavar, member of Praja, closely associated with the CRS project.

more here

Sent..21

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Sent.. Email..

Regards,

Balakumar K

Sent...22

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Sent email to CM.

Das

Great, the count is increasing day by day!

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Friends,

First of all thanks to all of you who sent in your emails/Hard Copies. As of now the count is 22. I am sure in coming days it will be target count fo 100.

Those of you who sent in emails to CM, pls send 2 more reminders to the following address as a follow up:

Email IDs of Karnataka Chief Minister

  1. chiefminister@karnataka.gov.in
  2. contact@jagadishshettar.com
  3. info@jagadishshettar.com

Once again my sincere gratitude to all the Praja Members and Friends who responded to my request. Thank you.

-Syed

 

 

Great work, Syed !

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I got an autoreply to my email from IDs 2 and 3. I also posted about this on Facebook with:

1. A brief comparison between CRS and Metro.

2. Link to the Praja CRS page

2. Request to email a petition, with your original text uploaded to my Slideshare page.

Yes, we are getting attention and ppl knowing abt it

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181 users have liked.

Yes, we are reaching out to more and more people day by day.

FB namma railu page also got 108 LIKES till now, and its increasing gradually day by day.

I hope, TOI and other newspapers cover CRS frequently and with the important facts and realities.

Deepak

Sent an email to Nandiesha Reddy!

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188 users have liked.

Having lost in posting a comment on Nadiesha Reddy's FB page, Sent an an email with CRS FAQs in Kannada.

His email address is - nandiesha@yahoo.co.in

-Syed

One more email petition to MLA Krishna Byre Gowda!

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Sent one more email petition to Byatrayanpura MLA Shri. Krishna Byre Gowda.

-Syed

More emails sent to MPs, MLAs, Politicians!

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More email have been sent to:

  1. Arun Jaitley (Reminder)
  2. Sushma Swaraj (Reminder)
  3. Nitin Gadkiri, BJP President
  4. Shri. V Satish (From Bangalore), Jt. General Sec (BJP -Org)
  5. Hema Malini, Rajya Sabha MP
  6. Ashok, Dy CM
  7. M Krishnappa (MLA B'lore South)
  8. Dr. C N Ashwath (MAL Malleswaram)
  9. B. N. Vijay Kumar (MLA Jaynagar)

+1

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Sent the email to CM. Would send the registered post soon. How about filing RTI to know the status of CRS this as well? Does it come under purview of RTI?

Now its time, we should look for RTI with CM / CS

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With current situation in Karnataka  / Bangalore,  its better to get status thru RTI  only  and reason for delay from GOK??

+1 sent   The count is 24

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+1 sent

 

The count is 24 now.

response from CM's office

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Response received from CM's office to my letter on behalf of RAAG (check my post of 20th Sept, above), essentially stating that the UDD has been asked to do the needful in the matter. Scanned copy may be accessed here

Muralidhar Rao

Time for an RTI to UDD based

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Time for an RTI to UDD based on this letter. Will revert.

Some users sharing their experience on Commuter Rail

RTI Questions for IDD, GOK?

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Herewith sharing the RTI questions framed by our Praja member Naveen.

 

  • What is the status of Suburban /Commuter rail for Bangalore city? 
  • Why is the state not proposing /pursuing Commuter rail despite it's viability as firmly endorsed by RITES in their study report as also the demands from various industry bodies such as FKCCI & the satellite towns?
  • What is the state's position with respect to Binny Mill land & NGEF land ? Are these proposed to be handed over to SWR for development of railways or is the state planning to commercialize them?
  • Is the state pursuing only Metro ? If so, how are the increasing commuter needs to /from suburban areas going to be addressed, especially along eastern ORR, Bellary road, Dodballapur rd, & other areas in the outer fringes up to the nearby towns that are not planned /cannot be covered by Metro due to long distances & very high costs?
  • If Commuter rail is going to be pursued, what are the timelines - when is the project expected to commence & when will it be completed?


 

RTI questions

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Adding recommendations /amendments:

  • What is the status of Suburban /Commuter rail for Bangalore city as recommended by June-2012 RITES report?
  • Why is the state not proposing /pursuing Commuter rail despite it's viability as firmly endorsed by RITES in their study report as also the demands from various industry bodies such as FKCCI & the satellite towns?
  • What is the state's position with respect to Binny Mill land & NGEF land ? Are these proposed to be handed over to SWR for development of railways or is the state planning to commercialize them?
  • Is the state pursuing only Metro ? If so, how are the increasing commuter needs to /from suburban areas going to be addressed, especially along eastern ORR, Bellary road, Dodballapur rd, & other areas in the outer fringes up to the nearby towns that are not planned /cannot be covered by Metro due to long distances & very high costs?
  • If Commuter rail is going to be pursued, what are the timelines - when is the project expected to commence & when will it be completed? In how many phases will it be completed? What are the routes in each phase and what will be the total length & coverage?

 

I have requested a meeting

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I have requested a meeting with DULT this week, should we wait before we shoot of the RTI or go ahead nevertheless? We address this to UDD or IDD or both?

RTI re.CRS

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I think we can wait to file the RTI till after the meeting - we may get some information based on which we can add or modify questions as necessary. RTI can be filed with BMLTA, IDD & DULT.

DULT not giving meeting time

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Even after repeated calls to their office,  not even single time  had any inclination to have meeting on commuter rail inspite of the mail received for the meeting request.

Even Urban Development reply on the subject :

Dear Sri Sanjeev,

Your mail has been forwarded to Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development
Department (O-22035085). In future , you may kindly contact IDD department.

Regards,

(Dr.Amita Prasad)
Principal Secretary,
Urban Development Department

Now IDD, DULT & UDD  have to work closely to get the approval from GOK.  Way the mail has been replied,  looks like this COmmuter Rail is no one Baby in GOK.  As DULT is not having time to move further.

metro 2nd phase or CRS

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looks like it is a bad timing for trying to get the state government interested in CRS when they have committed huge amount for the 2nd phase of metro (around 30% of 26,100 crores) and the misguided project to connect city and airport in the pipeline.  in order to bring CRS into play, the first thing to be done is to end the city- airport project.  a PIL would be essential in order to get the  BMRCL to drop any work on the project (including the preparation of project report)

Once that is out of the way, i think, CRS will be have its day.

 

 

Bottomline

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Ultimately CRS is a train & metro is a train. What is it that the metro to the airport will achieve that the CRS cannot? The surface CRS tracks can be used to achieve the same end far cheaper than the elevated metro tracks will achieve.

If its about the quality of rolling stock go ahead & procure a fancy rolling stock for the airport service to run on the CRS line.  

If its about changeover, All CRS lines intersect with Metro lines at atleast 1 point. & CRS lines cover the complete IT belt including industrial areas.

If its about avoiding change overs even in Metro lines change overs have to be done.

So what is it that makes Govt do metro when other alternatives are possible? BRT is possible with what like 18 lanes or something on that road now. Tram trains are also possible on the same BRT corridor. So why the fascination with elevated concrete structures? GoK, explain so we understand, we are not dumb we will agree if it is reasonable.

DULT reply on meeting : 17th Nov'2012 at GOK level to finalise

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DULT has replyed  on the status of RITES report : 17th Nov'2012  meeting  called to finalise the COmmuter Rail with DULT, IDD & UDD of GOK.

This proposal should get cleared from GOK and should  go to GOI by 1st week of Dec'2012  so that this can be pushed in Rail  Budget.

 

 

 

Called IDD Secretary and Tumkur MP

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As the earlier mail forwarded to IDD by UDD, then  called IDD & they confirmed that Principal Secretary / UDD   has called meeting on 17th Nov'2012 at GOK level.

 

Also called Tumkur MP and  requested him to take up this project seriously with Minister  for Infrastructure Devel Dept. 

Lets see what happens after this meeting.

 

Meeting with Stakeholders in a week - DULT !

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Source - DNA India

"...“After a draft report was submitted by Rites, we had given our comments. Now that they have submitted the final report, we’ll convene a meeting to examine it with other stakeholders,” Majula V, chief commissioner of the directorate , said..."

Top Brass from SWR to participate in nov 17th Meeting!

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Source - Deccan Herald

"...In an interview with Deccan Herald, Agarwal explained challenges that the SWR is facing. Commuter rail project The State government will have a meeting with the SWR top brass on November 17 to discuss the final study report of the Rs 9,000-crore Commuter Rail Project.

Rail Indian Technical and Economic Services (RITES) has submitted a feasibility study report to the State government for the implementation of the project. A new terminal facility will be created on the land where Binny Mills currently stands. The government needs to acquire the land and hand it over to SWR for the construction of the facility. The new terminal will have a double discharge facility (platform on both sides of coaches)..."

 

Follow up email sent to Principal Sec, UDD!

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With upcoming meeting on CRS in mind, tried to sent another petition Via fax. But for some reason, even after many attempts couldn't sent the fax. Not sure if the Fax machines are working in GOK offices. In any case, as a last resort finally sent the petition via email.

Here is the content of this email:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Amita Prasad, IAS
Principal Secretary, UDD,
Government of Karnataka

Madam,

Subject: Namma Railu, Commuter Rail Service In Bengaluru (CRS)

 
Happy Diwali to you and your family. I hope that the festival of lights bring  joy, prosperity and good luck through the rest of the year.

I am herewith following up on my earlier emails to you requesting for early approval to ‘Commuter Rail Service’  (CRS) Project proposed for Bengaluru. It has been quoted in media that, a meeting under your leadership has been scheduled for this Saturday Nov 17, 2012 to consider the 2012 RITES Report on “Implementing Commuter Rail Service in Bengaluru”. In this regard I would like to submit the following for your perusal and favorable action to push for the final approval of this project.

I would like to bring to your attention to a recent news blog that was quoted extensively in social media. The blog is about how people in absence of a regular commuter/sub-urban rail service are using the long distance train for their daily commute, though very inconvenient in schedule and frequency. Added to that, they are taking chances of getting off train while it slows down. Here are some highlights of this blog.

Source - http://www.naanushande.com/2012/08/majestic-to-whitefield-by-train.html

“…It’s yet another usual day in Bangalore city with traffic snarls at all business hubs. Somewhere between KR Puram and Whitefield Railway behind one of largest housing complexes of the city a passenger train bound to Arakonam comes to a screeching halt at an unscheduled stop. Utilizing the brief stoppage, dozens of decently dressed people mostly from IT background get down and start walking towards their workplace by hiking on and around the railway tracks. Whereas, typical travellers in the train will be wondering by having question mark expression on their faces i.e have this people have gone crazy ? what are they up to ?

Actually, the effort of mini-hiking is negligible if compared with positives i.e. reaching their workplace with just an hour ride from Majestic(SBC) by-passing all major notorious traffic bottlenecks Kundanahalli, Marathahalli, Richmond, HAL and Graphite-India. If you can’t believe here’s the GPS log captured during train travel from Majestic to Whitefield. Distance=23.3 km, Time=42 mins, Max Speed=127.6kmph; the stats which is impossible to emulate when you travel by road between Majestic-Whitefield :)

It’s the frugal transport system followed by techies who reside around Majestic and work in Whitefield. All these things happened because of inept town planning by local administration, the commute time by roads from heart of the city to whitefield has increased 2x times over last 2-3 years. They planned for IT hubs but they forget to create livable residential hubs. And the people residing in old and traditional localities have no option to make "long commute" part of their life ...”

Now that RITES final report is before you for consideration, it is time the CRS project is taken up for final approval ASAP. RITES report makes it abundantly clear that CRS is the need of the Bengaluru City to mitigate its un planned growth and spread the growth to nearby towns. More importantly the economic considerations that City planners and administrators like you look for making an informed decision. It is ample clear from RITES report that CRS investment are very economical compared to any other mass transit system that is being built currently and planned for the city.

I do not want to lengthen this letter as by now enough information has been illustrated in this letter, as well as emails and petitions that made it you. By now it must be clear to you and all the other officers who are entrusted to consider the CRS project, importance, urgent need and financial requirements of CRS proposal for Bengaluru. In this background, I humbly make a request to you to accord your approval to this project in the upcoming meeting on November 17th, 2012.

With your active backing, we are sure that the implementation of a commuter rail system for Bengaluru can start at right away. The value and Return of Investment in commuter rail will be enormous, even in terms of goodwill from the large population covered. I strongly urge you to lend the full weight of your office towards this cause.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any further information.

Thanking you and I remain,

Sincerely,

Khader Basha Syed

CC:
1) Principal Secretary, IDD
2) Commissioner, DULT

Lets hope for the best

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With the upcoming meeting I sincerely hope that we get to hear some positive news on CRS. Keep us posted guys!

Arvind

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