Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
Hundreds of residents, students, activists and citizens came together on Saturday, 16 March, morning to protest the government’s decision to construct a network of elevated corridors at a tentative cost of Rs 28,000 crore.
The mega protest was triggered by the government’s call for tenders, earlier this month, for the first phase of this project - the north-south corridor from Hebbal to Silk Board, connecting the Hebbal flyover and Central Silk Board junction through Mehkri circle, JC Nagar, Shantinagar and Bannerghatta Road junction. The decision to construct a network of six flyovers criss-crossing the city has not gone down well with citizens who demand more lasting solutions.
The corridor network is supposed to increase connectivity across the city, but citizens are demanding that due process be followed:
Flyover Meant for Only a Few
Citizens claimed that the government was ignoring the voices of citizens by rushing ahead with a project, which would only benefit a select few.
Saldanha’s ESG was responsible for bringing about a judgement in court that mandates public discussion on large infrastructure projects by the government. This was during the construction of the first phase of the Bengaluru metro construction.
“This corridor is also a corrupt decision because there are several judgement that have said that you cannot build such corridors unless it goes through a due process of law. One of the significant laws of the Town and Country Planning Act which requires many stages of public consultations. Suppose the project survives those consultations, then it can form a DPR, go for environmental clearances and others. Here, they have simply rushed,” said Leo Saldanha to The Quint.
“Corruption has never seen a face as ugly as is this. It is taking the state’s money and putting in a corridor which doesn’t even meet the requirements of all the residents of Bangalore. This is a corridor which has been designed and developed for the rich and wealthy. It’s like their time is more important than the rest of us.Leo Saldanha, coordinator, Environment Support Group
Citizens Take to the Streets with #TenderRadduMaadi
For over two hours, hundreds of concerned citizens gathered at Maurya Circle in the heart of the city, bearing placards, shouting slogans, making impassioned speeches and singing songs.
The atmosphere was reminiscent of the spirit and enthusiasm that had brought the city together in 2016 in protest of the steel flyover. The #SteelFlyoverBeda movement was sufficient to have the Rs 22,000 crore project shelved.
The hashtag adopted for this protest is #TenderRadduMaadi which translates to stop the tender.
The Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd floated tender for a 22 km stretch of the corridor in the first week of March. The total cost of the project is estimated at being between Rs 28,000-33,000 crore.
Speaking to The Quint, Tara Krishnaswamy, convenor of Citizens for Bengaluru – which played a pivotal role in the anti-steel flyover movement two years ago – said that she feels a massive sense of déjà vu.
In 2016, citizens across the city had rallied together under the #SteelFlyoverBeda movement that sought the cancellation of a 7km elevated corridor made of steel at a cost of Rs 22,000 crore. Instead, citizens had demanded better public transport, pedestrianisation, interlinking of the metro rail and the bus system, among others. Krishnaswamy said nothing had changed nearly three years on.
An online petition for the same cause has received more than 2.2 lakh signatories.
‘Won’t Ease Congestion, Will Worsen Environmental Conditions’ Say Citizen Activists and Protesters
The 102-km corridor is expected to decongest the city, which is plagued by traffic snarls and inadequate infrastructure for public transport.
Activists say that the proposed project will not ease the traffic congestion and will damage the environment.
According to the environmental impact assessment report of the project, prepared and submitted by the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd (KRDCL) foresees the loss of over 3,000 trees and significant green cover.
However, the report also cites the Compensatory Afforestation Policy under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 that states that every tree lost would have to be replaced with 10 new trees planted. Conservationists and activists are cynical about the efficacy and implementation of this requirement.
Court Issues Stay on Project For Now
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday, 13 March, asked the state government to put a pause on the project till it finishes a case relating to the Metropolitan Planning Committee, which oversees development works.
Citizens groups had moved the court over the functioning of the committee. The next hearing for the case will be on 19 March.
CM Belatedly Calls for Talks
On Saturday, CM HD Kumaraswamy tweeted that the elevated corridor would be the solution to the city’s traffic congestion, asking dissenting citizens to ‘raise their concerns’ with him.
“The entire project is illegal because as per the law, the citizens have to be consulted for all large infrastructure projects before they are approved. This is our right as citizens. We don’t need flyovers, we need public transport, pedestrianisation and things that help us,” said Krishnaswamy.
G Parameshwara also said that they would try to ‘convince’ those who did not want the flyover.
“There is always a different opinion. People who are coming from the North of Bengaluru want this corridor. People of South say they don't want it. We will try to convince them,” he told ANI.
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