PM flags off metro tomorrow
Strap: Prime Minister to inaugurate 19.15-km Yellow Line and lay foundation for Phase-3 expansion
OB Bureau
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the long-awaited Yellow Line of the Bengaluru Metro on August 10, marking a major milestone in the city’s urban mobility network.
The 19.15-km corridor connects R.V. Road in South Bengaluru to the Bommasandra industrial hub, providing a direct and much-needed metro link to Electronic City and other IT zones.
On the same day, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for Phase 3 of Namma Metro, a 44.65-km expansion project aimed at improving mass transit connectivity in western parts of the city. The Phase 3 plan includes two elevated corridors and is expected to significantly decongest Bengaluru’s road traffic once completed.
Union Minister for Home and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar confirmed Modi’s visit, stating, “I am pleased to announce that the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India has kindly agreed to inaugurate the Yellow Line and lay the foundation stone for Phase-3 on August 10.”
The Yellow Line received the statutory safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) earlier this week, paving the way for commercial operations to begin shortly after the inauguration.
The line, which is part of Phase 2 of the Bengaluru Metro project, features 16 stations and will significantly cut down travel time between southern residential areas and major IT corridors.
The 73-km-long Namma Metro network currently serves over 6.6 lakh commuters daily. With the addition of the Yellow Line, Bengaluru’s metro network will expand to nearly 100 km, making it the second-largest operational metro system in the country after Delhi.
The Phase 3 expansion, expected to cost over Rs 15,600 crore, will see the addition of the Outer Ring Road-West Line (31 km, Hosahalli to Kadabagere) and the Magadi Road to Tollgate Line (13.5 km). Both routes aim to bring metro access to densely populated, underserved areas and integrate with existing corridors for seamless travel.
The twin announcements come at a time when public transport infrastructure in Bengaluru has drawn growing scrutiny. The upcoming expansion is widely seen as a step towards easing the city’s notorious traffic congestion and improving last-mile connectivity.
PM Modi’s visit on August 10 is expected to be a high-profile affair, with both central and state leaders in attendance.
HL: Rahul cries ‘vote chori’ in K’taka, EC says: Prove it
Strap: Citing a data analysis of voter rolls from one LS seat in state, the LoP alleged that over 1 lakh votes were stolen
OB Bureau
Upping the ante on alleged electoral fraud, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused election officials in Karnataka and Maharashtra of being complicit in “vote chori” during the 2024 general elections. He claimed the Election Commission had become “an instrument of the BJP” and was committing a “crime against the Constitution.”
Citing a data analysis of voter rolls from one Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka, the Leader of the Opposition alleged that over 1 lakh votes were stolen, with fake addresses, duplicate entries, bulk registrations, and invalid photos used to pad the rolls.
Soon after his explosive remarks at a press conference in New Delhi, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka shot off a letter to Gandhi, asking him to submit the names of electors allegedly included or excluded wrongfully, along with a signed declaration under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Only then, the CEO said, could “necessary proceedings” be initiated.
Gandhi had alleged the following discrepancies in one Karnataka constituency alone:
11,965 duplicate voters in a single assembly segment
40,009 voters with fake or invalid addresses
10,452 voters listed under bulk or single addresses
4,132 voters with invalid photos
33,692 voters added through misuse of Form 6
He also accused Maharashtra election authorities of similar irregularities, claiming that in at least two constituencies, thousands of legitimate voters were missing while ineligible ones remained on the rolls.
“The Election Commission is working as a BJP front,” Gandhi alleged. “This isn’t just electoral fraud — it’s sabotage of democracy.”
The BJP hit back swiftly, with party spokesperson Sambit Patra accusing Gandhi of questioning constitutional bodies only when the Congress loses. “If the EC is compromised, why did the Congress celebrate when it won 99 seats in the Lok Sabha?” Patra asked.
Karnataka poll officials confirmed they are awaiting Gandhi’s signed declaration by Thursday evening, failing which no action can be initiated.
The Election Commission has strongly rebutted the allegations levelled by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, terming his claims of voter list manipulation as “misleading.”
In a sharply worded social media post, the Commission said, “If Mr Gandhi believes his claims are true, he must sign the declaration under election rules. If not, he should refrain from making baseless accusations and misleading the citizens of the country.”
The poll body underscored that the onus lies on the Congress leader to follow due process by furnishing specific names and evidence for action to be taken. Without a signed declaration, it said, the matter cannot move forward legally.
The Commission’s fact-check comes amid heightened political sparring, with Gandhi accusing electoral officials in Karnataka and Maharashtra of colluding with the BJP to manipulate voter rolls during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
HL: Lalbagh in dog-control mode for I-Day
OB Bureau
In response to a spate of dog bite incidents inside Lalbagh Botanical Garden, the horticulture department has begun a series of measures to manage the stray dog population—just days ahead of the popular Independence Day flower show set to open Thursday.
Officials have started administering what they call anti-aggression injections to dogs identified as hostile, and are vaccinating all strays on the premises against rabies. The initiative comes after a morning walker was attacked recently, prompting the garden’s technical advisory committee, led by noted environmentalist AN Yellappa Reddy, to flag concerns.
“There are about 175–200 strays in Lalbagh. Roughly 20–25% of them show aggressive behaviour. They’re fed only at night and tend to wander during the day looking for food,” said a senior horticulture official.
A five-point action plan—drafted in consultation with BBMP’s veterinary wing—includes aggressive dog identification, mass rabies vaccination, sterilisation of male dogs, and public awareness campaigns. Officials will also install signage across the garden outlining dos and don’ts for visitors, including a strict ban on feeding strays outside designated times.
However, independent veterinarians have questioned the scientific validity of so-called anti-aggression injections. “There is no recognised drug by that name. These are likely sedatives. Sterilisation and behavioural intervention are more effective,” said Dr Sumanth M Bedre, a veterinarian from Mysuru.