The Kerala Congress has raised questions about Chandrasekhar’s ability to implement an infrastructure development plan for Thiruvananthapuram, highlighting that a 7 lm drive on Airport Road from Hebbal to MG Road takes between 45 mins to 1 hour. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee brought attention to the contentious steel bridge project on the social media platform X. Proposed by the Siddaramaiah government in 2016 at a cost of Rs 1,300 crore, the nearly 6.7-kilometer steel bridge project sparked widespread protests and became a focal point of contention.
Chandrasekhar’s candidacy in Thiruvananthapuram has reignited debates surrounding the shelved steel bridge project.
The Congress party drew attention to the plight of Bengaluru commuters, highlighting instances of 374 individuals missing their flights in a single day due to traffic delays. They underscored the need for infrastructure improvements, referencing the proposed steel flyover aimed at reducing travel time on Airport Road from Hebbal to MG Road. However, the project faced opposition and was eventually scrapped, with the Congress accusing Chandrasekhar of spearheading a misinformation campaign against it through his organization, Namma Bengaluru Foundation.
The unexpected involvement of the Congress party in Karnataka’s traffic issues drew criticism from figures like former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai, who pointed out the irony of the Congress in Kerala targeting the Congress in Karnataka. Pai emphasized the need for the Congress party in Kerala to focus on addressing issues within their own state, where significant numbers of young people are migrating to Karnataka due to better opportunities.
Bengaluru water woes
Karnataka Industries Minister MB Patil recently responded to Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeeve’s attempt to attract IT companies to Kerala amidst Bengaluru’s water crisis. Patil expressed concern, stating that Kerala’s actions go against the spirit of unity among states, hindering interstate cooperation. He emphasized Karnataka’s commitment to fostering an industry-friendly environment focused on innovation and sustainability.
Kerala minister Rajeeve had earlier highlighted Kerala’s abundant water resources, offering facilities to Bengaluru-based IT firms. He pointed out Kerala’s 44 rivers, emphasizing the lack of water scarcity in the state. He had cited that there were 44 rivers in Kerala and that water was not an issue.
