Residents oppose laying of ‘unnecessary’ peripheral ring road

Residents oppose laying of ‘unnecessary’ peripheral ring road
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: About hundred residents of Madanayakanahalli and Hanumanthasagar on Monday protested before Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) against the construction of Peripheral Ring Road (PRR).

They questioned the sagacity of the BDA in constructing two arterial roads within one-and-half kilometre distance of each other. When the construction of Bangalore-Mysore expressway was underway another ring road just a little away was unnecessary. Residents and farmers will lose their agricultural and convertible land. They also complained what they termed ‘‘inhuman treatment’’ the BDA officials meted out to them during the meeting.

M Ushavenkataiah, a senior citizen residing in Madanayakanahalli said, ‘‘The attitude of the BDA officials has been very disappointing. No formal procedures were followed for hearing our objections. Officials instead used police force against us and chased us away from the meeting hall,’’ he regretted.

T Rajakumar, another resident of Madanayakanahalli added that BDA has not assured them compensation either. ‘‘If the BDA is keen on road construction, it should first mend the existing roads. Roads outside the core city and in the peripheral areas are in pitiable condition. Such roads should be repaired and widened before taking up new areas.’’ he argued.

Some protesters also suggested that the BDA should either purchase or join hands with NICE company in order to construct expressway faster. ‘‘The BDA officials asked us to sign a blank document, stating that all our complaints will be recorded in it later, when we objected to it the police asked us to leave the place immediately. The BDA should not construct the PRR, as there is no requirement,’’ averred Lalit Kumar.