Metro work to chug on

Metro work to chug on

High Court rejected an interim prayer seeking a stay on work for RV Road stretch

Srikanth Hunasavadi. Bangalore



The High Court of Karnataka on Saturday paved the way for the speedy execution of Namma Metro work on the RV Road stretch , rejecting an interim prayer seeking a stay on the project work including tree felling.
The court also directed the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to proceed with the work.
In its interim order, a division bench headed by Mr Justice V Gopal Gowda and Mr Justice Ravi Malimath said: "The Metro project is a mega project undertaken to ease traffic jams in Bangalore city. Bangaloreans are facing hardships in commuting to their workplaces in the city. The Metro project has been taken up in the larger public interest and hence the same cannot be stalled at the instance of the petitioners."
The court , however, reserved its order on the main prayer of the petitioners after hearing the contentions of the Environment Support Group (ESG), Hasiru Usiru and other petitioners, challenging the alignment of Namma Metro on the RV Road stretch and also against tree cutting in Lalbagh. The court also heard the arguments from BMRCL and BBMP counsel before reserving its judgment.
But in the interim order, the court, said: "Any hindrances in the execution of the project would be detrimental to the public. The entire park has not been acquired for the project; only a part of the park has been acquired. At this stage, it may not be proper to look into the ordinance issued on November 22, 2008 and correctness of the Government Order."
During the course of hearing, the court also asked: What will be the fate of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and its employees after Namma Metro is commissioned? What action will be taken for rehabilitating the displaced person ?"
On behalf of the state government and BMRCL, Advocate-General Uday Holla submitted that if the Namma Metro went underground 141 trees will have to be cut. With a surface alignment, only 188 trees will be have to be felled. But making Namma Metro underground will call for an additional investment of Rs4700 crore. Besides, half of the city has a rocky underground, he added.
"The BMRCL has planned to plant 15,000 tree saplings in the city at a cost of Rs54 lakh. The Namma Metro service will save seven lakh litres of petrol and take eight lakh vehicles off the road. At least Rs866 crore will be saved under the head of fuel expenditure. Namma Metro is purely electrical and thus carbon content will come down. Carbon displacement is equivalent to not more than 10,000 vehicles. The entire project is eco-friendly," he argued.
The petitioners submitted that the entire project had not been prepared by experts and public opinion was not considered.
They said there was no proper planning and if the project went underground it would save trees and lot of money. The court room was jam-packed with activists of various NGOs present.