HC rules out HSRL near Hebbal lake

HC rules out HSRL near Hebbal lake
Bangalore: June 3, DHNS:

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday ruled out High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) construction near Hebbal lake.


The petitioner - Samarpana, a City-based NGO - had said the government had issued a Global Invitation Notification on June 30,2008 for a station at Hebbal after the flyover at the lake.

It had pointed out in its representation to the government submitted on April 22, 2010 that the project cost might go up to Rs 10,000 crore and suggested to take up the south-western railway route which is cost effective, and also avoids acquiring land around Hebbal lake.

While the government on one hand has been planning creation of six lakes at a cost of Rs 4,500 crore, on the other hand, it has been planning to construct HSRL station around the lake, destroying the water body, the petition pointed out.

“It is contrary to the judgement of the Karnataka High Court wherein directions were issued to the authorities concerned including the Lake Development Authority to preserve lakes in and around Bangalore,” the petitioner submitted. Pointing out that the City has already lost over 500 lakes due to urbanisation, the petitioner had sought directions to the respondents to desist from carrying out the HSRL project from MG Road to BIAL and conceive an alternate rail route as suggested by ABIDe (a State government formed body) and south-western railway.

The Division Bench headed by Justice V G Sabhahit directed the Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development to consider the representation of a petitioner on an alternative route and disposed of the matter saying that there would be no structure over the lake.
DH News Service