Bengaluru: The Citizens Against Steel Flyover, a citizens’ movement, on Sunday formed a human chain to intensify their protest against the proposed steel flyover that links Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal.
Around 5,000 people including prominent personalities like Prakash Belawadi, MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar and BJP leader Suresh Kumar turned up in large at four different points – Chalukya circle, near the Bangalore Development Authority office, Cauvery theatre junction and at Mekhri circle.
Coming down heavily on the proposal to construct the steel flyover, actor and filmmaker Praksah Belawadi said the citizens’ forum wants the project to be shelved because it was sanctioned without public consultation. “We want the project to be shelved as it was sanctioned without public consultation. It is a very arrogant attitude as our questions are unanswered,” Belawadi said.
The Siddaramaiah government has proposed to set up a steel flyover from Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal junction at an estimated cost of Rs 1,761 crore to improve connectivity to the Bengaluru International Airport.
Belawadi also accused the project of not taking into account the environmental implication of cutting down over 812 trees. “Construction major L&T has bagged the contract to build the flyover, which will see as many as 812 trees chopped off, as per details made available by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA),” Belawadi said.
He also said the state government had bypassed Bangalore Metropolitan Planning Committee in sanctioning this project and the Bangalore Vision Group (BVG) had not spoken in favour of the project as they it was doubtful about their feasibility as well. “The project cost is too high,” he said.
V Naresh Narasimhan, managing partner and principal architect of Venkataraman Associates, pitched for quick implementation of Metro link to the Kempegowda International Airport.
On the flipside, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Bengaluru Development K J George have defended the project, saying it is needed to decongest the city. The State Cabinet had cleared the project on September 28.
However, Karnataka BJP President B S Yeddyurappa alleged that the Congress intends to route the money to the party fund. BJP Spokesperson S Suresh Kumar said the party is completely supporting the movement against the needless flyover. “The project’s cost escalation clearly shows it was contractor-oriented and election-fund oriented,” he said.
Former chief minister and JD(S) State President H D Kumaraswamy alleged that the project is being used to raise party funds for Uttar Pradesh election. “The state government has not announced compensation to farmers who has lost crops due to the failure of south-west monsoon but it is coming forward to spend around Rs 18,000 crore for the construction of steel flyover,’’ he said.
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