Bengaluru: Three days after the controversial steel flyover was scrapped by the state government, members of North Bengaluru Residents Welfare Associations called for its implementation and questioned how the government could cancel the project without announcing an alternative. Nearly, 500 people had gathered near Esteem mall demanding the steel flyover.
A member of the Steel Flyover Beku group Dr Samuel told Deccan Chronicle that residents of North Bengaluru want a project that can solve the traffic congestion.
Let the government announce alternative projects such as metro, mono, concrete flyover or even road widening. Ultimately, the problem of traffic snarls must end. As North Bengaluru is also part of airport corridor, the traffic volume is too high, especially during peak hours. It gets chaotic at the Esteem mall, forcing the commuters to wait endlessly, he said.
The residents welcomed steel flyover project as the government was in favour of it and demanding another project does not make sense as it would take at least five to ten years. Crossing the Hebbal flyover, Mekhri circle and Cauvery junction is a nightmarish experience and those residing beyond Hebbal bear this torture every day, he added.
"We are ready to plant 10,000 trees as an alternative for the 800 trees that are being cut to make way for steel flyover. North Bangaloreans can't suffer endlessly getting stuck in traffic every day," Samuel said.
A member of Karnataka Development and Implementation committee Devarajappa said that they are not particular about steel flyover, but for any project that decongests North Bengaluru.
There is no need to remove any trees for a steel flyover except for a few Ashoka trees at the Golf Course, a government property.
What is the harm in removing a few trees if it is benefiting whole of Bengaluru, especially those in North Bengaluru.
If the government fails to announce an alternative and provide a valid reason as to why the steel flyover, which can be completed relatively earlier compared with other projects, was dropped without proper reasoning. A large number of people will be mobilised to register our protest, Devarajappa added.
