Another spanner in Metro works?

Another spanner in Metro works?
Deccan Herald

The battle against Metro rail project entered the Karnataka High Court on Friday with a builder challenging the notification issued for acquiring certain properties in Bangalore south zone.

Justice Manjula Chellur, who heard the petition, has ordered issue of notice to the government, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation.

Petitioners, M/s Lakshmi Builders and Mr B R Vishwanath, have questioned the notification issued on January 17 for acquiring their properties situated on R V Road.

They have contended that the project cannot be executed under the KIADB Act. The petitioners argued that the project could be implemented only through the Metro Railways Act,1978, only after declaring Bangalore City a metropolitan city. The Metro Railways Act too has provisions for acquiring land, the petitioners claimed.

The Metro rail project cannot be executed under the KIADB Act as land, under this Act, could be acquired only for “industrial development or industrial infrastructure” projects. Metro rail does not fall into these two categories, the petitioners contended.