Scores of Resident Welfare Associations and organisations have come together to form a human chain opposing the construction of the 6.72 km steel flyover proposed between Hebbal and Basaveshwara Circle. The campaign has been initiated by Citizens Against Steel Flyover, a citizen’s movement.
The citizens have formed a chain from Mekhri circle to Chalukya circle. Celebrities and representatives of political parties too are expected to lend their support.
Lakshmi, a homemaker, and around 50 persons, have come as a group from J.P. Nagar primarily to oppose the cutting of 800-odd trees on the stretch. They believe that with dwindling tree cover in the city, infrastructure projects such as these would see the city being enveloped by concrete.
S.R. Lakshmi from Yelahanka New Town believes that a quicker ride time to the city can offset the high cost of the project as well as environmental impact of the project. “Let commuters leave a half hour early instead. There are so many problems in the city, and it would be a waste to spend so much money on this.”
Tiggy Allen, from the UK who works at an NGO in the city, said Bengaluru can learn from London where traffic management does not rely on expensive flyovers. “Develop the metro and impose decongestion charges to reduce traffic on the streets,” he suggested.
The steel flyover project has drawn a lot of flak for its environmental impact. Around 812 trees currently stand in the way of the proposed steel flyover, of which only 7 per cent can be saved. Activists also say the project was sanctioned without public consultation.
