Impassioned pleas by senior citizens to spare their properties from being acquired for Namma Metro Phase 2 did not evoke any sympathy from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) managing director N. Sivasailam, who on Saturday, asked them to take judicial recourse or settle for compensation.
“It (Namma Metro) is for the larger public good. You are free to approach the judiciary. You can also get compensation as we have had no issues with compensation in previous acquisitions,” Mr. Sivasailam said, even as those to be affected in the second phase pleaded with him to consider their cases sympathetically at ‘Namma Metro — a dialogue’, organised by Jana Mana in the city on Saturday.
His suggestions for judicial recourse, however, irked retired Vysya Bank manager Y. Jayagopal, who is set to lose his house in the re-aligned route of metro in BTM Layout. He said: “I do not even have money to appoint a lawyer to fight the case. I have built the house with great difficulty.”
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Another resident of Bannerghatta Road, Sujaya Parathasarathy, pleaded with him: “Please help us. Do not disturb us. We are all old and it will be difficult for us to relocate.”
Members of Hasiru Usiru also raised the issue of RTI, transparency, cost escalation, and the demolition of homes and felling of trees. Jayanagar 5th Block residents also raised the issue of the metro alignment near Laksham Rao Park.
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Mr. Sivasailam said the metro had gone through 400 writ petitions, and agreed there were social issues involving individual rights. He also said the proposals for land acquisition have been finalised, and after the detailed project report is prepared, it would be taken to the government.
Ananth Kumar, Bangalore South MP, said BJP leaders would tour all the metro-affected areas and take up the issue with the State and Union governments to protect people’s welfare.