Steal bridge: Cash cow for netas?

Bengalureans of all hues have opposed the steel flyover project from Chalukya Circle to Hebbal that is touted to reduce traffic jams on the road leading to the Kempegowda International Airport. But the Bengaluru Development Authority has ignored the voice of the people and is muscling its way through to build the expensive project that will cost upwards of Rs 1,800 crore. Money they simply don’t have! The BDA should focus on city’s growth rather than taking up cost-intensive projects, say urban experts.

It may sound fancy, an all- steel 6.7- km long bridge that will take commuters from Chalukya Circle to Hebbal and from there to the Kempegowda International Airport in quick time. But there’s a lot at stake. For starters there’s the Rs 1,800 crore the government will have to fork out for it and then there is the vexing question of felling 812 trees to make way for the bridge.

Interestingly, it’s not just NGOs and urban experts, who have made their opposition clear to the project, but members of the Bengaluru Blueprint Action Group (BBAG) - formed not too long ago by the government - too are vehemently against it. Their contention? It will not solve the traffic hold-ups on the busy Kempegowda International Airport Road and will only shift the congestion from one spot to another.

And it now appears  the Union government has rejected Karnataka’s request for providing 50 per cent of the cost of the steel bridge saying there are “no schemes to support this kind of project.” The information provided by the state’s urban development department in response to an RTI query, clearly shows the state has suffered a setback in raising funds for the project.

To tide over the problem, the government has shifted the financial burden on a cash-strapped Bengaluru Development Authority, which is now expected to mobilise 60 per cent of the cost. “In the process, the BDA has been forced to sell its assets  like crucial corner sites,” notes Mr Sridhar Pabbisetty, Chief Executive Officer, Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF).

“This project is nothing but a costly band aid when a major surgery is required,” the activist contends, also noting that no environmental impact assessment was done for the steel bridge although it will claim 812 fully grown trees enroute. The response to the RTI query also revealed that a senior IAS officer  wanted to know how  the BDA could begin the bidding process for the steel bridge without being sure about raising  the resources for it and acquiring the private land required.
But ask BDA commissioner, Rajkumar Khatri and he claims it will have  no trouble  raising the funds for the project.

“The BDA has four avenues for fund mobilisation. We expect Rs 1,400 crore from the final list of allottees at the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, and Rs 400 crore from auctioning  corner sites. The second phase of sites at the Kempegowda layout and allotment of flats will fetch us another Rs 2,170 crore,” he explained. But a far from persuaded Mr. Pabbisetty says the city needs better mass transportation  rather than quick fix solution and that too for a distance of a mere  6.7 km. “The government must focus on providing good mass transportation rather than these cost- intensive projects,” he underlines.

Spend money on buses, not flyover: Ashwin Mahesh, urban expert
The steel flyover has become a byword for what is wrong in decision-making about mobility. To combat high reliance on private vehicles, the government proposes to build more roads! To tackle a network problem of mobility across the city, the government proposes to build a minor solution at one single node.

To work more efficiently with limited budgets, the government proposes to spend Rs 1800 crore to benefit fewer than one lakh people, whereas the same money spent on buses would benefit 30 lakh people. It was originally proposed that the Centre would bear 50 per cent of the cost, but now as it has officially declined, we have to come up with all the money.

To tackle the inefficiencies resulting from non-implementation of the existing Master Plan, the government proposes another new project that is not in the Master Plan! None of the neighbourhoods around the proposed area of the project want it. In fact, they actively oppose it.

At least one Public Interest Litigation is likely to be filed in the state High Court, opposing it. The project may not see the light of the day and only kickbacks will change hands. With so much stacked against it, the project doesn't make any sense until you start looking at it the way its backers do - it costs Rs 1800 crore, and that makes all the difference. Awful!

Pick the simple solution: V. Ravichandar, Civic evangelist
I  have given my reservations on the proposed steel bridge. So what is the solution? First, we need a mindset change in our government, which must show more sensitivity to pedestrians, believe that without smart public transport investments on scale no mobility solution is feasible,  and want to preserve and triple open public spaces.

The BDA apparently plans to toll the flyover, making it the first elevated toll road right in the city centre. Congestion charges have been levied in city centres like London and Singapore,  but that is for all vehicles. With tolling there will be a tendency to avoid it, crowding the space below the flyover and  leading to a veritable mess.

We need to implement simple solutions well rather than opting for grand costly ideas that don't address core problems.  Can we have a vision of 1500 km of walkable footpaths that are 1.5 to 2 metre wide? They will make  a transport option for up to 3 km and provide access to public transport stations. Can we do the Rs 600 crore white topping project after fixing the footpaths? A civilised society plans for vulnerable people and they, on our streets are the pedestrians.

Also, public transport modal share must go up from the current 50 per cent to 70 per cent. More buses, better route planning, faster Metro implementation, and mini bus aggregators can help too. There is no way a car -centric approach can ever fix Bengaluru traffic. Long flyovers and tunnel road proposals indicate a car mindset. The government must instead believe and demonstrate its faith in public transport.

My specific suggestions for the Hebbal - Chalukya stretch for the near term are: Increase the lane on the Hebbal flyover; have Palace Ground access only through Jayamahal roadside; and get BMTC airport buses to run as directional buses more often to  Cubbon Road, KR Puram and Tumakur Road. Auctioning sites for funding flyovers is very shortsighted. We will end up using resources that can be used for basic infrastructure, water, and sanitation on an elitist flyover that favours private vehicle owners.

Project will only benefit contractors, politicians: Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP
As a citizen of Namma Bengaluru and a Member of Parliament from the city, I have no hesitation in saying that the steel flyover project is purely contractor and politically driven since it is neither citizen nor plan-driven. It is a blatant misuse of public money as the project was not even placed before the Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee (BMPC) for approval and no impact study was displayed in public domain on this unplanned burden being dumped on Bengaluru. I would like to know  the outcome of the farcical public consultation the BDA claims to have held a few months ago.

The project shows dubious intent due to the haste with which it has been planned, its design, issues of maintenance, aesthetics and impact on environment.

Answers must be made public on every crucial aspect of the project such as:

• Its detailed plan, cost and timeline, including the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
• Details of land (public and private) required along with status of such acquisition.
• Details of various impact studies such as on the environment as media reports suggest 800 or more fully grown trees will be cut.
• Reasons why a steel flyover has been planned and not a concrete one  like any other existing flyover in the city with a possibility of interlinkages with future constructions and elevated corridors, if any.
• Details of existing infrastructure / heritage buildings that may have to be demolished
• Why this project is being carried out when it is not a part of the Master Plan, and others that are have been put in cold storage. What will be the impact on the rest of the Master Plan in the area as a result of this project?

The administration and civic bodies must seek and respect the opinion of citizens and recognise the strong opposition from environmentalists, urban planners, ecologists,  transport experts and Bengalureans as evidence of the fact that people are willing to assert their right to have a say in the development of the city. Our people and our city and state deserve better than what we are getting today. The government of Karnataka and its agencies  must be held accountable for the use/misuse of public funds.