Bengaluru Steel Bridge gets NGT stay order

[Sabyasachi Patra]

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal has stayed the construction of the Bengaluru Steel Bridge for four weeks and has sought an environmental impact assessment (EIA). This controversial flyover or Steel Bridge as it is called, is to come up at a cost of 1791 crores. The contract has been awarded to L&T in a hasty manner. This project will result in loss of 812 trees as well as demolishing heritage structures. The Government had conducted a consultation on this project in a non transparent manner by inviting suggestions on the BDA website.

After the Steel Bridge construction interim stay order by the Southern Bench of the NGT, the Government is considering moving the main bench of NGT. The Chief Minister also met public representatives for the first time.


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This was also covered in the October 2016 issue of IndiaWilds http://www.indiawilds.com/diary/indiawilds-newsletter-vol-8-issue-x/

[Sabyasachi Patra]

The Karnataka Government has scrapped the Bengaluru Steel bridge project. This was announced by the K. J. George, Minister for Bengaluru Development and Town Planning. The reason given is that the MLAs didn't want it. There were massive protests by citizens.

There is rumour of a diary sized during income tax raids which had a entry titled "Steel bridge 65 cr". Perhaps the Government decided that it is better to contain the damage to their reputation and cancel the Steel Bridge Project. Whatever may be the reasons behind the decision to not construct the environmentally disastrous Steel Bridge, it is certainly good news.