NGT to hear state govt and BDA today on steel flyover

The National Green Tribunal has posted the next date for hearing in the steel flyover case to Tuesday after hearing the contentions of the petitioners challenging the project and its environmental impact. N S Mukund, president of Citizens Action Forum, one of the petitioners in the case, said that they (he along with V Balasubramaniam, former additional chief secretary and members of Citizens for Bengaluru) have submitted to the tribunal that the project will have an environmental impact and this should be addressed.

“Our stand is very clear that there should be a proper environmental impact assessment. “The Bangalore Development Authority (one of the respondents in this case) cannot just say that the project is exempted. Every project of such a big magnitude will have an environmental impact and it should be assessed. Demanding this, we have submitted our papers,” Mukund said.

Soil testing continues
The southern bench of the tribunal gave a day’s time to the respondents comprising the BDA and other state government departments to give their representation on Tuesday. Until further orders, status quo on the project will remain. The BDA has been permitted to continue with its soil testing and no construction can be undertaken by the BDA and L&T until final orders.

Srinivas Alavilli, member of Citizens for Bengaluru, said: “Our demand is that the government must immediately withdraw from all cases since they are wasting public money fighting for a flyover that the public does not want. With alternative roads and the suburban train, there is no case for the flyover. Build a trumpet halt station and run trains from all corners of the city to the airport not just for passengers but the 20,000 employees and lakhs of people of north Bengaluru.”