Bengaluru’s PES University has expressed opposition to the proposed metro station which is planned at the main gate of the campus.

As part of BMRCL’s Phase-3 project of the metro, which received a nod from the centre last week, a metro station has been proposed near the entrance of the campus.

The Karnataka government has given a go to begin the process of land acquisition. Now, the PES University has now strongly objected to constructing the Hosakerehalli Metro station right at the entrance of its Outer Ring Road campus.

The Pro-Chancellor of the university has written to BMRCL as well as Minister of State for Railways V Somanna this month to relocate the proposed station.

Pro-Chancellor Prof Jawahar Doreswamy wrote to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) Managing Director Maheshwar Rao regarding the issue on August 1.

It is said that BMRCL requires 720 sqm of land belonging to PES University for an entry of the Hosakerehalli station while the varsity has donated over 1.4 acres of the land to the Bangalore Development Authority for expansion of the outer Ring Road previously which has not been compensated for till date.

Prof Doreswamy told TNIE, “Nearly 15,000 students enter the campus from this side. We have asked BMRCL to shift their station to the vacant government land nearby which has remained unutilized for decades. They do not have to pay any compensation too in that case. We are asking them to shift the station 50 mts to the left. Or they can move it to the right by 100 mts. The present location proposed by them would lead to permanent closure of the main gate of the university and increase traffic congestion on the ORR causing a bottleneck in peak hours.”

He said that the existing flyovers — Girinagar and Veerabadranagar — near the campus and within 20 metres from the proposed Metro station and the addition of a metro station at the same junction will worsen the traffic chaos.

Source: TNIE

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