Karnataka

Bengaluru steel flyover to stay as BDA gives nod, minister blames 'vested interests' for protests

KJ George said that the protests were manufactured by rival political parties, trying to pass them off as public opinion.

Written by : TNM Staff

Despite protests by a number of citizen groups across Bengaluru against the construction of the steel flyover, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has reportedly decided to issue the work order to L&T.

With the decision to issue work orders being taken on Thursday, citizen groups and activists are set to seek the governor’s intervention in the matter. 

Saying that the government is firm on going ahead with the project, Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George maintained that the steel flyover would ease the traffic congestion in the city.

The citizen groups protesting against the flyover demand that the government explore all the options before going ahead with the project and that the citizens must be made part of the decision-making process.

However, George said on Thursday that the flyover from Chalukya circle to Hebbal was the only way to ease the congestion and that the government arrived at the decision after considering other options.

“We have no interest other than the people’s interest. All the details are on the website. The project is not decided or designed by the politicians but BDA experts,” The New Indian Express quoted the minister as saying.

The minister said that the protests were manufactured by rival political parties, trying to pass them off as public opinion. 

"Only a handful of people are against this project and they are being supported by some political parties. The opinion of these organiziations cannot be considered as people's opinion. They want the government to act according to their diktats, but this is not possible because it has been democratically elected," said the minister. 

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