The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday, extended its interim stay on the steel flyover proposed by the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) till December 6. 

The BDA had filed a petition with the NGT asking it to vacate the injunction order, which was issued by the tribunal after a hearing on October 25.

The petition stated that the road on which the flyover has been proposed is not a highway and thus does not require an environmental assessment.

It also said that trees would not be hacked without a public hearing and transplantation of felled trees would be ensured. Besides, the Hebbal Lake will not be encroached upon, as the flyover would be constructed on an existing road.

The petition also cited that the flyover would relieve traffic congestion for those travelling towards the airport and adjacent areas including Sanjay Nagar and Sadashiv Nagar. 

The government will obtain all necessary clearances before proceeding with the project, the petition stated. It said that the NGT should not stay the project which is still in its preliminary phase and that the violations were hypothetical.

The respondent, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, sought time to file a response and the matter was stayed on October 25 for four weeks. 

“Despite the NGT’s intervention, it is appalling to see the government’s audacious resolve to continue with this ad hoc, unplanned infrastructural project. At this juncture, we hope the High Court does a thorough examination of the legal and constitutional issues related to the project we have raised in our public interest litigation and hands Bengaluru and its citizens a huge relief from the disastrous effects of this steel monster,” a statement from Namma Bengaluru Foundation said.