PIL planned against Tagore Circle underpass

PIL planned against Tagore Circle underpass
Bangalore, April 18, DH News Service:

The opposition to construction of an underpass at Tagore Circle is all set to reach the courts now.


The residents of Krishna Rajendra Road in Basavanagudi have decided to file a Public Interest Litigation against the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike for continuing with the construction without obtaining public consent.

The underpass is being constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The work, which began in October 2009, should be completed within 16 months according to the work order.

However, only 10 percent of the work has been completed even after the lapse of six months. The project also involves felling of 85 trees.

Seeking details under RTI

C R Gopinath is running from pillar to post to obtain all the relevant documents. He alleged that the BBMP had not been furnishing details relating to status of the work, despite seeking information under Right to Information Act.

The residents have been bearing the brunt of the delayed work and have decided not to complain about it. “If I complain then I am accepting the project, which in the first place I do not want any underpass to be constructed here," added Gopinath.

Sumathy Narendra, another resident, termed the construction “meaningless” and “at the cost of public convenience.” She felt that politicians had been blindly giving their consent to the decisions of the bureaucrats.

“It is a lobby run by vested interests. There is absolutely no accountability in spending public money," she said. The Tagore Circle underpass has not been opposed by residents alone. Some top government officials had written letters objecting to the 'unnecessary underpass'.

The BBMP, on the other hand, is gearing up to finish the work at the earliest.
According to officials, the work will be extended towards the other side of the road in the next few days.

An official said the retaining wall on the Police Station side had been completed and the work would now shift to centre of the road.