The Bangalore Development Authority on Thursday submitted an undertaking to the Karnataka High Court stating that it would not "proceed" with the controversial steel flyover proposed in the city. The undertaking was submitted during a hearing of a petition, filed by Namma Bengaluru Foundation, requesting a stay on the controversial flyover, CNN-News18 reported. The court will first study the legal and constitutional issues of due process and public consultations related to the project, according to ANI.
The Bangalore Development Authority had proposed the construction of the Rs 1,791-crore flyover between Basaveshwara Circle and Hebbal to ease traffic. The proposal for the first-of-its-kind flyover drew widespread criticism from residents and environmental activists.
On October 28, the National Green Tribunal had slapped an interim injunction on Bengaluru's steel flyover project for four weeks and asked the state to file a detailed report on its environmental impact before starting its construction. On October 16, over 5,000 city residents formed a human chain to express their dissent against the signal-free thoroughfare to the airport.
On October 12, the BDA released a 10-page document to answer queries on the project. However, activists and citizens’ groups said the document only mentioned the salient features of the project and without delving into issues such as the need for a mass transit system and alternative routes to the airport.
Despite public protests and expert advice against the construction of the bridge, the state administration awarded the contract to Larson and Toubro on September 28. The project was also supported by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He had said that the government will undertake the construction of the flyover as "it has public support".
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