IRC guidelines not applicable to flyovers : BBMP

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike informed the Karnataka High Court that the IRC guidelines with regard to vertical clearance and gradient were not applicable for flyovers.

The court on Tuesday questioned the Palike whether the Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines were being followed while planning the steel bridge project near Sivananda Circle.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice H G Ramesh and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar were hearing a PIL filed by B P Mahesh and 19 citizens residing near the Sivananda Circle.

Senior Counsel D N Nanjunda Reddy, representing the Palike, stated that the IRC guidelines with regard to vertical clearance and gradient were applicable only to underpasses.

If the IRC guidelines as cited by the petitioner was to be followed then no flyovers in the city could be constructed, he added.

On being asked if it is an approved project, Reddy said: "The project report for the flyover has been prepared after a detailed research and consultation with IISC experts. Scientific studies have also been undertaken with regard to its feasibility."

The petitioner stated that the IRC guidelines are mandatory for all buildings.

He had stated in the earlier hearing that the clearance was given for a 4.5-metre flyover, which is against the IRC guidelines that stipulated a height of 5.5 metre.

The petitioner stated that according to the guidelines, the vertical clearance should be 5.5 meters and the gradient should be 3.5 or less than 3.5 meters on either sides which is not met by the Sivananda steel flyover.

The 4.5 metre-high flyover will connect the Film Chamber of Commerce office with the Hare Krishna Road.

The senior counsel said that they had relied on the IRC code while drafting the project.

"We are not creating an underpass and thus the specifications cited by the petitioner will not apply in this regard," the counsel said.

The matter was adjourned to Thursday.