BJP released its Bangalore Manifesto last evening. Here is the PDF, Kannada. There is a clear promise regarding Commuter Rail, 'misspelt' slightly as Commuters Rail.
So at least one party has a promise regarding CRS in written, and clear. However, its only about pressuring the center, and unlike most other promises in this same manifesto, there are no time lines, no mention of costs.
If the promise had some more specifics - SPV, or clear mention of 4-5 lines - I would have voted for BJP despite everything they have put us through in last 4 years. Notice how the Metro Rail related promises occupy so much space in the manifesto. But just one line for CRS. This, despite the fact that if "sold" and "pitched" properly, CRS can have 30x more appeal to Bangalore Rural / Outskirt constituencies than Metro Rail. What we see in the ruling party's manifesto is perhaps what gets played out when they work on transportation projects. Metro is taking mindshare away from all else, not just CRS, but I suspect BRTS too. Not being anti Metro, I love and support the project, but just highlighting the lack of focus through this specific manifesto.
Comments
JDS does too!
JDS Manifesto
Congress - Circular Rail
Source - http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=252874793
Manifestos - Differ only in colour!
Source - Zee News
Circular rail is I heard different from commuter rail
Circular rail may be about connecting all the cities around bangalore in circular fashion.
And may be to connect to bangalore, they have those big flyovers, because that's where they can loot common people's money.
Deepak
They may not be knowing what they are talking about?
dvsqaure,
Reality is, there would be very few who understand what's the difference between the two. Until few months back, even the UDD chief had to be educated about the CRS. She thought that it was referring to METRO.
To be frank, Election Manifestos aren't meant to be taken seriously. Parties themselves don't take seriously, then where is question of we taking it seriously.
This reminds me of Joke I had heard from a Urdu Drama, wherein the protagonist who owns a marriage bureau, advises his servant not to get married to a 'Politician'. She asks him why so? He replies to her saying you never know he would disown his marriage Vows anytime saying they were his political promises given under pressure. :)