The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the State and Central governments to file their responses on a PIL petition, which wants the State government to implement the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) and Integrated Traffic Ratio Rationalisation Plan (ITRRP), which were pre-conditions while sanctioning the Bengaluru mero rail project.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice S.R.Kumar directed the State government to implement the two plans while directing the Central government to file responses as it was alleged in the petition that the Centre had not noted non-implementation of the conditions.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by D.T. Devare and Bangalore Environment Trust.
Claiming that the State and Central authorities cannot take up and continue the metro project without complying with the condition of implementing CMP and ITRRP, the petitioners pointed out that these mandatory conditions were imposed by the Centre in its sanction letters issued in 2006 and 2014. These conditions were also part of Memorandum of Agreements signed in 2010 and 2017 for Phase I and Phase II of the metro project, the petitioners pointed out.
Absence of CMP and ITRRP, and frequent revision of plan for infrastructure in the city, have led to gross inefficiency in implementation and utilisation of metro project as desired ridership levels have not been achieved, apart from failing to achieve anticipated reduction in traffic congestion and pollution.
Approval of large-scale infrastructure projects sans CMP and ITRRP would only lead to chaotic situations as many projects could end up being not utilised at optimum level, the petitioners claimed.
