Monday, September 19 2005 17:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: The United Breweries Group has sought a 'reimbursement' of about Rs 15 crore from Karnataka Government, blaming it for the failure of elevated light rail transit system that was sought to be promoted by a consortium led by it, in taking off.

According to UB Group Chairman Vijay Mallya, the project was abandoned (during the previous S M Krishna Government) after the State Government failed to come up with its share of the equity and guarantees.

"We have written to the State Government asking for reimbursement of all the costs and expenses because we are extremely clear that the project was abandoned certainly not at our instance or initiative. We tried every thing that was logically possible," Mallya told reporters today (Sept 19, 2005) after the Annual General Meeting of the United Breweries Limited.

UB-led consortium's ELRTS project was sought to be taken up for some years in late 1990s and early 2000s but nothing concrete emerged. Mallya said the State Government had also imposed additional tax on vehicles, ostensibly to collect money for ELRTS.

Mallya said UB is seeking certain cost from Government for pursuing the project in futility. When asked about the cost, he said, "My office would know". A UB official said it's around Rs 15 crore.

Asked if the UB would be interested to take an ELRTS project again, he said it would not be worth it as cost and route have changed and it would not be an easy task to assemble an international consortium.