[Urbanstudy] Press Release: If Metro Cannot go Zig-Zag, then stop implementing the Zig-Zag alignment through Lalbagh and Lakshman Rao Parks

[ESGINDIA]

* *

*PRESS RELEASE : 19 April 2009*


*If Metro Cannot go Zig-Zag, then stop implementing the Zig-Zag 
alignment through Lalbagh and Lakshman Rao Parks*



Dr. Ramachandran, Secretary, Union Ministry of Urban Development and 
Chairman of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. has issued a 
clarification in response to the ongoing protests initiated by /Hasiru 
Usiru,/ a network of organisations and individuals concerned about 
conservation of public commons, open spaces and greenery in Bengaluru, 
against the alingment of Bangalore Metro through Lalbagh and Lakshman 
Rao Parks. In his clarification, , Dr. Ramachandran states that: "The 
route alignment of the metro was done after a detailed study and 
approved by the Central and State governments. The cost of constructing 
an underground station is an expensive proposition. A metro with a 
zig-zag alignment is not possible. All decisions were approved well in 
advance." ('/BMRCL clarifies on Lal Bagh station'/, Deccan Hearald, 19 
April 2009).


Hasiru Usiru welcomes the clarification from Dr. Ramachandran, in 
particular the fact that "a metro with a zig-zag alignment is not 
possible". If this were true, then the elevated track alignments of the 
Metro through Lalbagh and Lakshman Rao Parks is clearly not feasible. A 
cursory view of the North South alignment of the Metro, in particular 
from K. R. Road to Banashankari through Lalbagh and Lakshman Rao Parks 
reveals clearly and beyond any doubt that the proposed alignment is 
infact zig and zag. Here the alignment takes four 90 degree turns in 
about 4 kms. Such a proposal is unseen in any Metro alignment, anywhere 
in the world. Clearly, therefore, Dr. Ramachandran must take initiative 
to ensure that the implementation of the project on this alignment is 
immediately suspended so that there is no waste of public resource, and 
destruction of Bengaluru's heritage parks and private properties.


Dr. Ramachandran's other statements are rather contradicting, however. 
It is possible that the Metro project has gone through a series of 
reviews within the Government. But not once has BMRCL conducted any 
statutory Public Hearing on the project ever. In fact, the alignment of 
the Metro has been fixed and realigned largely internally, without any 
statutory public involvement and largely shaped by political 
considerations. For instance, the original proposal does not have any 
extension into Kanakapura Road, and this section was introduced only 
during the term of the present Government.


On the issue of taking the Metro through Lalbagh, BMRCL has always been 
aware that this involves an amendment to a special law that protects 
this heritage botanical garden -- Karnataka Parks Preservation Act, 
amongst others. Even though during the term of this Government there 
have been at least three Legislature sessions, in a devious and 
undemocratic process, an ordinance was preferred to take away a portion 
of this heritage park for a Metro station. Considering that BMRCL has 
repeatedly stated that its stations would also be Malls, there is no 
guarantee whatsoever that the stations proposed in Lalbagh and Lakshman 
Rao Park will not be turned into Malls in some future. Such decisions 
aren't the prerogative of bureaucrats alone and must be debated in the 
public domain through statutory processes as provided in law.


It is widely known that BMRCL has repeatedly stated that wonderful line 
of trees on the Lakshman Rao Park boulevard will only be pruned, and not 
cut. However, it has been put beyond any doubt that BMRCL intends to 
fell all the trees that line this boulevard.


Such inconsistent statements do not bode well for developing the wide 
public's confidence in BRMCL. The fact that the Lalbagh wall has been 
razed and trees cut without any permission from the Tree Officer is a 
clear case of BMRCL claiming rights not found in law. We applaud the 
decision of the new Tree Officer (Bangalore South) in confirming that he 
would take action against the guilty officials for violating the 
Karnataka Preservation of Tree Act, while unilaterally cutting trees 
withing Lalbagh -- a botanical garden.


The Metro is a project that will take decades to build. Such a project 
must therefore be implemented by due and deliberate consideration of 
public opinion. BMRCL officials, at best, have only visited some clubs 
and associations to share their proposals, but this does not constitute 
a statutory public consultation.


On 16 March 2009, the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka issued a direction 
to all agencies involved in management and implementation of urban 
projects that they would "strictly follow" the provisions of the 
Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act and Karnataka Preservation of 
Trees Act (in WP No. 7107/2008, Environment Support and ors., vs State 
of Karnataka). BMRCL is a respondent to this PIL and the order is 
binding to the agency. Yet within weeks of this order, trees have been 
illegally felled over the past two weeks in Lalbagh and also on Lakshman 
Rao boulevard. Only timely action from /Hasiru Usiru /voluteers has 
prevented any further felling.


The past week's protests have put beyond any doubt the fact that the 
Southern alignment of the Metro is flawed and unpopular. /Hasiru Usiru 
/gratefully acknowledges all contestants from the Bangalore South Lok 
Sabha constitutency who have taken a stand on this issue. In particular 
we acknowledge Capt. Gopinath (Independent) who has joined the protests, 
Mr. Santosh Min (Independent) who has consistently expressed his 
concerns against the project's impact on the city's heritage and Mr. 
Krishna Byregowda (INC) who has stated that the project should not 
destroy the city's heritage.


We also acknowledge the initiatives and protests of Mr. B. N. 
Vijayakumar (BJP), MLA from Jayanagar, who has called upon BMRCL to stop 
work forthwith and conduct public review of this section of the project. 
Mr. Dinesh Gundu Rao (INC), MLA from Gandhinagar, Dr. Hemachandra Sagar 
(BJP), MLA from Chickpet and Mr. Narendra Babu, MLA from Mahalakshmi 
Layout have all joined protest actions of /Hasiru Usiru /against such 
undemocratic implementation of the Metro in Bengaluru. Unfortunately, 
because of the continuing undemocratic nature of the Bruhat Bengaluru 
Mahanagara Palike, which for two years now does not have an elected 
council, the citizens have no legitimate forum to aire their grievances.


Clearly, the fact that even Legislators have not been consulted is not a 
good indicator of the quality of governance in Bengaluru.


Dr. Ramachandran is a Secretary who has spearheaded several innovative 
approaches to urban infrastructure development, and is particularly 
credited for the National Urban Transport Policy. This policy clearly 
articulates that public transport projects will succeed only when the 
public is involved in all decisions. BMRCL has no history of such 
consultation whatsoever. In this context, we protest the statement of 
Mr. Chavan, PRO of BMRCL, who in a charitable dispensation has claimed 
that the agency was "willing to arrange for a presentation for NGOs so 
that it could convince them about the feasibility of alignment already 
arrived at" (/'BMRCL unrelenting, 1,800 trees in Lalbagh face the axe'/, 
The Hindu, 19 April 2009). We demand that such efforts notwithstanding, 
BMRCL must fully take the public into confidence and ensure public 
involvement in decisions relating to the Metro in full conformance with 
the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, as directed by the Hon'ble 
High Court of Karnataka.



Leo F. Saldanha Vinay Sreenivasan

Coordinator Hasiru Usiru

Environment Support Group www.hasiruusiru.org <http://www.hasiruusiru.org/>

a consituent of Hasiru Usiru

www.esgindia.org <http://www.esgindia.org/>

*About /Hasiru Usiru/:*

/Hasiru Usiru /is a network of organisations and individuals concerned 
about conservation of public commons, open spaces and greenery in 
Bengaluru. Over the past several years, Hasiru Usiru has served as a 
platform to explore various approaches to resolve urban challenges 
through a series of efforts including meetings, workshops, campaigns and 
public interest litigations. A key concern has been to develop 
sensitivity of implementing agencies involved in urban infrastructural 
development to involve public in decision making and ensure that 
projects developed are in conformance with law and equitable benefit all 
sections of society.

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