JD(S) should remove S from their name, HDK has lost morality: Former MP Ugrappa
Bengaluru: Former MP VS Ugrappa, during a press conference held at the KPCC office on Queen's Road in the city, criticized former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy for his political choices, stating that Kumaraswamy had compromised the principles of the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) by forming an alliance with the BJP, a party Ugrappa referred to as "communal."
Ugrappa accused Kumaraswamy of having no moral values, highlighting that he had joined hands with the BJP despite leading a party that claimed to be secular. He emphasized that while JDS founder Deve Gowda remained committed to his principles, Kumaraswamy had forsaken them for the sake of power.
Regarding the current political landscape in Karnataka, Ugrappa pointed out that both the BJP and JDS were internally divided. He questioned their claims of winning all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies together. Ugrappa also criticized what he saw as misleading tactics during the 2019 elections, alleging that they exploited the Pulwama incident for electoral gains.
With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections approximately eight months away, Ugrappa noted the sense of desperation among opposition parties in Karnataka. He highlighted the absence of an opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly, as well as factionalism within the BJP, causing confusion about its leadership. Additionally, he criticized the lack of an opposition leader in the Legislative Council and the absence of a chief whip.
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Mumbai Metro lines 9 and 2B open for commuters
Mumbai (PTI): Commercial operations on the first phases of Mumbai Metro corridors 9 and 2B began on Wednesday morning, a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the mass-transit routes, officials said.
While the Metro 9 marks the first direct connectivity between a suburb in Mumbai and a part of Thane city in the metropolitan region, the Line 2B will provide the first metro connectivity on the Harbour Line in Mumbai.
The 5.6-km elevated Phase 1 stretch of Metro Line 9 comprises four stations -- Dahisar East, Pandurangwadi, Miragaon and Kashigaon. The 5.53-km Phase 1 of Metro Line 2B has five stations, including Deshbhakt N G Acharya Udyan (Diamond Garden), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, Deonar, Mankhurd and Maharashtra Nagar–Mandale.
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According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Line 9 is expected to cut travel time between Mira-Bhayandar in Thane district and Mumbai to around 30 minutes from the current one to two hours. Built at Rs 6,607 crore, it will eventually provide seamless connectivity to south Mumbai through interlinking with other lines.
With the addition of the two new lines, Mumbai’s operational Metro network has expanded to six corridors, including Line 1 (Ghatkopar-Andheri-Versova), Line 2A (Andheri West-Dahisar East), Line 7 (Dahisar East-Andheri East) and the underground Line 3 (Colaba-Bandra Kurla Complex-SEEPZ).
As per MMRDA, the revised timetable for Line 2A and Line 7 came into effect on Wednesday, aimed at improving frequency, predictability and overall commuter experience.
It said that with the inauguration of Line 9, Metro Line 2A will now operate as a standalone corridor between Andheri West and Dahisar East, with services from 5.50 am till around 11 pm and a peak frequency of about six minutes.
The integrated Line 7-9 corridor (Gundavali to Kashigaon), spanning 19.79 km, will operate from 5.50 am to 11 pm, with a peak frequency of under six minutes and 276 services on weekdays.
Metro Line 2B (Phase 1) services commenced at 6 am and will run till around 10.30 pm at intervals of approximately nine-and-a-half minutes, operating 209 services daily, according to officials.
MMRDA said the integration of Line 7 with Line 9 enables direct connectivity from Andheri East to Mira-Bhayandar, while Lines 2A and 7 will function as separate corridors.
A seamless interchange facility at Dahisar station will allow passengers to switch between Lines 2A and 7 without exiting the “paid” (ticketed) area.
