The state government will urge the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to vacate the stay on the construction of the steel flyover in Bengaluru when the hearing resumes on Friday.
Advocate General Madhusudhan R Naik said they would ask for vacating the stay and dismissing the petition on the grounds that environmental clearance was not required for the project. A BDA official said that if the NGT refused to lift the stay, it would be urged to give more time for filing a response.
"We may seek more time citing the ongoing winter session of the legislature at Belagavi," the official said.
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which is one of the respondents in the case, had given an oral undertaking to the High Court of Karnataka on November 3, 2016, that construction on the steel flyover would be stayed as per the NGT order.
The petition against the flyover before the NGT (South Zone), Chennai, was filed by the NGO Citizens' Action Forum and former additional chief secretary V Balasubramanian, on October 28, 2016, on the grounds that the project didn't have the required environmental clearance. The tribunal issued a four-week injunction barring the BDA from going ahead with construction, and sought details on the environmental clearance for the flyover.
The petitioners also submitted to the tribunal that the project should not be allowed because other alternative routes to the airport were available, which the government should explore. Balasubramanian said they would chalk out their future course of action based on the BDA's response.
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the BDA is planning to approach the Supreme Court, arguing that the NGT has no jurisdiction to hear the petition against the flyover. Srinivas Alavilli, who is associated with another NGO Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), said, "We have faith in the judiciary. But if the government decides to go ahead with the flyover without following the due procedure, we will intensify the agitation."
CfB has been arguing that the BDA failed to conduct proper public consultation on the project. "We just hope the government gets cold feet and abandons the project," he said.
![]( "The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which is one of the respondents in the case, had given an oral undertaking to the High Court of Karnataka on November 3, 2016, that construction on the steel flyover would be stayed as per the NGT order. DH File Photo")
The state government will urge the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to vacate the stay on the construction of the steel flyover in Bengaluru when the hearing resumes on Friday.
Advocate General Madhusudhan R Naik said they would ask for vacating the stay and dismissing the petition on the grounds that environmental clearance was not required for the project. A BDA official said that if the NGT refused to lift the stay, it would be urged to give more time for filing a response.
"We may seek more time citing the ongoing winter session of the legislature at Belagavi,” the official said.
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which is one of the respondents in the case, had given an oral undertaking to the High Court of Karnataka on November 3, 2016, that construction on the steel flyover would be stayed as per the NGT order.
The petition against the flyover before the NGT (South Zone), Chennai, was filed by the NGO Citizens’ Action Forum and former additional chief secretary V Balasubramanian, on October 28, 2016, on the grounds that the project didn’t have the required environmental clearance. The tribunal issued a four-week injunction barring the BDA from going ahead with construction, and sought details on the environmental clearance for the flyover.
The petitioners also submitted to the tribunal that the project should not be allowed because other alternative routes to the airport were available, which the government should explore. Balasubramanian said they would chalk out their future course of action based on the BDA’s response.
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the BDA is planning to approach the Supreme Court, arguing that the NGT has no jurisdiction to hear the petition against the flyover. Srinivas Alavilli, who is associated with another NGO Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), said, "We have faith in the judiciary. But if the government decides to go ahead with the flyover without following the due procedure, we will intensify the agitation.”
CfB has been arguing that the BDA failed to conduct proper public consultation on the project. "We just hope the government gets cold feet and abandons the project,” he said.
Advocate General Madhusudhan R Naik said they would ask for vacating the stay and dismissing the petition on the grounds that environmental clearance was not required for the project. A BDA official said that if the NGT refused to lift the stay, it would be urged to give more time for filing a response.
"We may seek more time citing the ongoing winter session of the legislature at Belagavi," the official said.
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which is one of the respondents in the case, had given an oral undertaking to the High Court of Karnataka on November 3, 2016, that construction on the steel flyover would be stayed as per the NGT order.
The petition against the flyover before the NGT (South Zone), Chennai, was filed by the NGO Citizens' Action Forum and former additional chief secretary V Balasubramanian, on October 28, 2016, on the grounds that the project didn't have the required environmental clearance. The tribunal issued a four-week injunction barring the BDA from going ahead with construction, and sought details on the environmental clearance for the flyover.
The petitioners also submitted to the tribunal that the project should not be allowed because other alternative routes to the airport were available, which the government should explore. Balasubramanian said they would chalk out their future course of action based on the BDA's response.
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the BDA is planning to approach the Supreme Court, arguing that the NGT has no jurisdiction to hear the petition against the flyover. Srinivas Alavilli, who is associated with another NGO Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), said, "We have faith in the judiciary. But if the government decides to go ahead with the flyover without following the due procedure, we will intensify the agitation."
CfB has been arguing that the BDA failed to conduct proper public consultation on the project. "We just hope the government gets cold feet and abandons the project," he said.
The state government will urge the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to vacate the stay on the construction of the steel flyover in Bengaluru when the hearing resumes on Friday.Advocate General Madhusudhan R Naik said they would ask for vacating the stay and dismissing the petition on the grounds that environmental clearance was not required for the project. A BDA official said that if the NGT refused to lift the stay, it would be urged to give more time for filing a response.
"We may seek more time citing the ongoing winter session of the legislature at Belagavi,” the official said.
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which is one of the respondents in the case, had given an oral undertaking to the High Court of Karnataka on November 3, 2016, that construction on the steel flyover would be stayed as per the NGT order.
The petition against the flyover before the NGT (South Zone), Chennai, was filed by the NGO Citizens’ Action Forum and former additional chief secretary V Balasubramanian, on October 28, 2016, on the grounds that the project didn’t have the required environmental clearance. The tribunal issued a four-week injunction barring the BDA from going ahead with construction, and sought details on the environmental clearance for the flyover.
The petitioners also submitted to the tribunal that the project should not be allowed because other alternative routes to the airport were available, which the government should explore. Balasubramanian said they would chalk out their future course of action based on the BDA’s response.
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the BDA is planning to approach the Supreme Court, arguing that the NGT has no jurisdiction to hear the petition against the flyover. Srinivas Alavilli, who is associated with another NGO Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), said, "We have faith in the judiciary. But if the government decides to go ahead with the flyover without following the due procedure, we will intensify the agitation.”
CfB has been arguing that the BDA failed to conduct proper public consultation on the project. "We just hope the government gets cold feet and abandons the project,” he said.