Bengaluru, Oct 17 (IANS): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bengaluru South Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday demanded an audit of Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

"Despite managing key metro projects, BMRCL has faced significant delays in operations, cost overruns and inefficiencies -- grossly affecting public funds while the traffic congestion is only getting worse in Bengaluru," Surya stated.

"A thorough audit will help address these concerns and ensure transparency and accountability for the future of Bengaluru's metro system," he said.

"This should be completed not merely for the sake of transparency but also for the betterment of our city's infrastructure. I thank PAC Chairman K.C. Venugopal for his kind consideration," Surya stated.

The BMRCL is a joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Karnataka carrying out the responsibility of implementation and operation of the Bengaluru Metro project.

Currently, BMRCL operates 73 km of metro in the country.

Surya said the BMRCL, entrusted with an important public function, is marred by administrative and operative inefficiencies. For instance, while civil works on the Yellow line are nearly 90 per cent complete, operations remain stalled as BMRCL awaits delivery of 216 coaches from its rolling stock manufacturer, he pointed out.

This delay has caused repeated missed deadlines for the Yellow Line’s opening. Similarly, manufacturing for the Pink line’s train sets only commenced in August 2024, further pushing the project to late 2026. Even the operation on the existing metro line began only after multiple delays, pointing to systemic inefficiencies within the organization, Surya emphasised.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) plays a critical role in administrative accountability by examining project spending and upholding financial discipline within the system. A similar examination of BMRCL is required to assess shortcomings and inefficiencies, he added.

He also noted that the performance audit should explore cost overruns due to project delays, traffic congestion and productivity loss, environmental impact, detailed reasons for delay and the status of achieving the 317 km of metro coverage target as outlined in the Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2031.

Surya further said that given the immense scale and importance of the metro system to the city of Bengaluru, "I request that the committee undertake this audit to ensure accountability and transparency in BMRCL's operations".