The steel flyover project may have been put on hold for the time being. But the citizens are still left wondering how an expensive project could be imposed on them by felling hundreds of trees and without an environmental assessment.
Suraj Kuwar, a II BA student at Bishop Cotton Women's Christian College, says: "The proposed project aims at solving the notorious traffic problem, which needs 812 trees to be felled. I don't think this piece of metal is worth so many trees, and that too just to save travel time to the airport?"
The city, Kuwar reminds, has seen deficient rain in the last two years and losing more green cover is simply unacceptable. "The flyover will bring in more vehicles on that stretch and hence increase pollution. Is this the solution we are looking at?"
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) talks about planting 60,000 saplings.
"Of course they will go ahead and plant them, but how many saplings have survived in the past... has BDA got any record?" she asks. "This promise too will fall flat as the authorities have failed to monitor or water the saplings in the past. If the government seriously wants to solve the traffic issues, then it will have to look at long-term solutions, without compromising on the city's environment."
Uttam Singh, a businessman who is a regular commuter on the stretch, says: "Another flyover, this time with a fancy 'steel' prefix. Bengaluru can now simply be called the 'city of flyovers,' but none of those structures is serving its purpose. I need to travel through the Hebbal flyover multiple times every day, but the traffic bottlenecks force me to spend hours in jams."
The planned flyover, which will either land before Hebbal flyover or Esteem Mall, will bring in more vehicles, adding to the already chaotic situation. "Maybe it will ease the movement from Chalukya Circle, but it will create even bigger traffic bottleneck in Hebbal area as the traffic would converge. Bengaluru may be the only city where even flyovers witness traffic jams," says Singh.
Why waste taxpayers' money when the project is not going to serve its purpose in the future. The BDA will demolish a couple of small flyovers on the stretch to build this steel structure. "Maybe after 10 years, it will propose to demolish the steel flyover too, if it doesn't serve the purpose. What a waste of public wealth. Why doesn't the government have farsightedness regarding such mega projects. Instead, the need of the hour is to check the number of vehicles plying on the roads and encourage people to use public transport system."
Wilson Pereira, a marketing executive, says: "Most government projects taken up so far have been in controversy for one or the other reason. The steel flyover project adds to this list. Building a flyover, bridge or underpass to decongest the traffic is one of the primary duties of the government departments concerned. But taking up the work without public opinion or expert advice is unacceptable." Age-old trees will be cut down for an unsustainable project.
"When there are alternatives like widening the existing roads among others, why is the government adamant in going ahead with the project even though the whole community is against it? Why can't the government think out of the box to address the traffic woes?"
Pereira's fervent hope is this: "Experts and the public certainly have various sustainable ideas in this regard, but the government needs to consider and take them forward. I hope the government does not end up felling the trees."
Rise in temperature
Environmentalists have already said the steel bridge will increase the temperature by one or two degree Celsius as the material absorbs heat and releases it back into its surroundings. With numerous high-rise buildings in the targeted area and also given that Bengaluru recorded 40 degrees Celsius, its highest in 15 years, in April this year, the flyover is going to be disastrous.
Moreover, the project will also contribute to groundwater depletion. "If not for vested interests, why is it done?" is the question most Bengalureans are asking.
The steel flyover project may have been put on hold for the time being. But the citizens are still left wondering how an expensive project could be imposed on them by felling hundreds of trees and without an environmental assessment.
Suraj Kuwar, a II BA student at Bishop Cotton Women’s Christian College, says: "The proposed project aims at solving the notorious traffic problem, which needs 812 trees to be felled. I don’t think this piece of metal is worth so many trees, and that too just to save travel time to the airport?”
The city, Kuwar reminds, has seen deficient rain in the last two years and losing more green cover is simply unacceptable. "The flyover will bring in more vehicles on that stretch and hence increase pollution. Is this the solution we are looking at?”
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) talks about planting 60,000 saplings.
"Of course they will go ahead and plant them, but how many saplings have survived in the past... has BDA got any record?” she asks. "This promise too will fall flat as the authorities have failed to monitor or water the saplings in the past. If the government seriously wants to solve the traffic issues, then it will have to look at long-term solutions, without compromising on the city’s environment.”
Uttam Singh, a businessman who is a regular commuter on the stretch, says: "Another flyover, this time with a fancy 'steel’ prefix. Bengaluru can now simply be called the 'city of flyovers,’ but none of those structures is serving its purpose. I need to travel through the Hebbal flyover multiple times every day, but the traffic bottlenecks force me to spend hours in jams.”
The planned flyover, which will either land before Hebbal flyover or Esteem Mall, will bring in more vehicles, adding to the already chaotic situation. "Maybe it will ease the movement from Chalukya Circle, but it will create even bigger traffic bottleneck in Hebbal area as the traffic would converge. Bengaluru may be the only city where even flyovers witness traffic jams,” says Singh.
Why waste taxpayers’ money when the project is not going to serve its purpose in the future. The BDA will demolish a couple of small flyovers on the stretch to build this steel structure. "Maybe after 10 years, it will propose to demolish the steel flyover too, if it doesn’t serve the purpose. What a waste of public wealth. Why doesn’t the government have farsightedness regarding such mega projects. Instead, the need of the hour is to check the number of vehicles plying on the roads and encourage people to use public transport system.”
Wilson Pereira, a marketing executive, says: "Most government projects taken up so far have been in controversy for one or the other reason. The steel flyover project adds to this list. Building a flyover, bridge or underpass to decongest the traffic is one of the primary duties of the government departments concerned. But taking up the work without public opinion or expert advice is unacceptable.” Age-old trees will be cut down for an unsustainable project.
"When there are alternatives like widening the existing roads among others, why is the government adamant in going ahead with the project even though the whole community is against it? Why can’t the government think out of the box to address the traffic woes?”
Pereira’s fervent hope is this: "Experts and the public certainly have various sustainable ideas in this regard, but the government needs to consider and take them forward. I hope the government does not end up felling the trees.”
Rise in temperature
Environmentalists have already said the steel bridge will increase the temperature by one or two degree Celsius as the material absorbs heat and releases it back into its surroundings. With numerous high-rise buildings in the targeted area and also given that Bengaluru recorded 40 degrees Celsius, its highest in 15 years, in April this year, the flyover is going to be disastrous.
Moreover, the project will also contribute to groundwater depletion. "If not for vested interests, why is it done?” is the question most Bengalureans are asking.
