Siddaramaiah steels up, says bridge will fly

Bengaluru: Unmoved by Sunday’s protest that saw thousands of Bengalureans turn out on the streets to form a human chain to oppose the  steel flyover proposed between Chalukya Circle and Hebbal,   Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserted on Monday that there was no going back on it.

Speaking to reporters after  inspecting alternative roads to the Kempegowda International Airport, he said  the steel bridge was conceived in 2010 during BJP rule and was announced in the 2014-15 Budget when he was  finance minister.

The details of the project, including public opinion, had been uploaded on the BDA’s official website www.bdabangalore.org <http://www.bdabangalore.org/> . and it showed that 73 per cent of people in the city thought it was a good idea as it would help decongest the Bellary road, he added.

“The project is being executed in a transparent manner. We had floated global tenders for it and L&T succeeded in bagging it as it was the lowest bidder and had the required technical expertise,”  he said.

“When the project is being executed in a democratic manner and most  people are in favour of it as it will help decongest a busy road, why is the opposition trying to stop it,” he asked.

“Since the steel flyover was conceived in 2010 during the BJP rule, it is their  baby. We  are just nurturing it. Although trees will have to be axed, this will be compensated by planting and transplanting trees elsewhere,” the Chief Minister maintained.