Expressway plan comes in for flak

Expressway plan comes in for flak
Bangalore, DHNS:

Protesters against the proposed expressway from Outer Ring Road to international airport raised their voice on Tuesday, targeting the purpose behind the 21.2-km road.

Around 500 affected villagers, NGO representatives and other protesters — under the banner of Devanahalli Airport Expressway Association — came together at the Hennur traffic signal on ORR to slam what they called a project that would “waste” public money.

“While we are also concerned about the lack of connectivity between the City and the airport, the focus should be on ensuring multi-connectivity to and from all directions, since the airport is required for all the Bangaloreans,” said Raja Reddy, who helmed the protest.

Representatives of the affected NGOs including Home of Hope, Karnataka Rehabilitation Centre and Kutumba also joined in the protest. The protestors claimed that the road would displace thousands of people and around eight NGOs, apart from damaging the Challakere and Boyalahalli lakes. The affected property owners are also planning to file two more Public Interest Litigations opposing the road.

Protesters have suggested as alternatives widening and strengthening of existing feeder roads and an elevated dedicated highway on Bellary Road. Reddy said Tuesday’s protest was more about Bangaloreans protesting a non-viable project than affected villagers protesting loss of property.

The protestors later went to Raj Bhavan and sought the Governor’s intervention.The expressway is proposed to pass through villages including Banaswadi, Challakere, Horamavu Agara, Kylasanahalli, Dodda Gubbi, Chikka Gubbi, Bagalur and Byrathi. The road has been making news after property owners alleged that its alignment was changed five times. The State had recently handed the road over to the National Highways Authority of India.