Online campaigns and public protests build opposition to Bengaluru steel flyover
As more voices are rising up against the construction of a 6.72 km steel flyover from Hebbal to Chalukya Circle in Bengaluru, a number of campaigns have kicked off, building the momentum of the protests.
The latest is the “Call Your MLA” campaign, initiated by a citizen activist group, Citizens Against Steel Flyover (CASFo). The campaign provides the list of phone numbers for MLAs and MPs of different constituencies of Bengaluru, and urges residents to call them and voice their opinion on the construction of the steel flyover.
Besides this campaign, the movement against the steel flyover has taken to multiple protest modes including a PIL, public protests, online petitions and social media awareness campaigns.
On Sunday, a human chain is being organised along the length of the proposed flyover.
At the time of writing, two Change.org petitions demanding the flyover project be scrapped have garnered around 5,000 signatures each.
The proposal to build the bridge at a planned cost of close to Rs 1,800 crore and involving the felling of more than 800 trees was approved by the state cabinet earlier this month. While voices had been raised against the project, the protests have gained strength since news of the cabinet approval became public.
Activists argue that the need is greater for more and better public transport and the easing of congestion of private vehicles is only a temporary measure. They had also taken exception to what they said was the non-transparent manner in which the project was being planned.
“It is a blatant misuse of public money and it is illegal. The proposed project is not placed before the Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee and there is no public consultation held before preparing the detailed project report,” Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar was quoted saying last week.
Namma Bengaluru Foundation, a body which Chandrasekhar runs, has also filed a PIL in the Karnataka High Court against the construction of the same.
Many prominent residents have also objected that a single flyover will do nothing to alleviate the congestion problem that was pervasive in the city. TV Mohandas Pai, educationist and prominent city resident, was quoted as saying, “The steel flyover as a standalone project will just create more traffic jams.”