Bengaluru sources have stated that it was a big win for the citizens’ movement in Bengaluru when the Karnataka government was forced to shelve the controversial steel flyover project on Ballari Road. Last year the state government and civic agencies in Bengaluru appear to have not given up on the steel project just yet. Meanwhile the Siddaramaiah led Congress government is now going ahead with a miniature version of the Ballari Road flyover at Shivananda Circle.
Meanwhile the Karnataka High Court has refused to grant an interim stay on the construction, the 485 metre long steel bridge will reportedly come up at the cost of 20 trees. Further the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is of the opinion that the 485-metre steel bridge from Shivananda Circle to Race Course to be built at a cost of Rs 20 crore will ensure better connectivity between the southern and western part of the city.
Ashish Verma, a sustainable transportation expert
at the Indian Institute of Science told cost Rs 1791 crore involved due to
the choice of steel over concrete. He said “Instead, this money can be
used to subsidize and popularize public transport and in effect reduce private
cars on the road. This flyover approach may work good for six months given the
rate of private vehicle ownership".
