[Urbanstudy] UD Minister, local legislators kept in the dark

[Vinay Baindur]

Infrastructure: Tagore Circle underpass
*
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/33568/minister-local-legislators-kept-dark.html
*
*Minister, local legislators kept in the dark

* Bangalore,Oct 31,DH News Service:
*It has now come to light that the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP)
had not informed the urban development minister and two ruling party MLAs of
Chickpet and Basavanagudi, who represent the residents of the areas which
the Tagore Circle Underpass is supposed to serve.*
 Urban Development Minister S Suresh Kumar was kept in the dark about this
project for the sole reason that his portfolio does not include BBMP, BDA
and BMRDA.
Apart from them, a former mayor and the former counsellors of Basavanagudi
and surrounding areas were also not aware of the project.

Irked about being ignored by the BBMP, Chickpet MLA Dr D Hemachandra Sagar
shot letters to Transport Minister R Ashok, Urban Development Minister S
Suresh Kumar and BBMP Commissioner Bharatlal Meena. In the letter, the MLA
expressed his displeasure about not being informed about the grade separator
work.

Sagar alleged that even in the past the BBMP showed haste in constructing
the National College flyover, which is not utilised to its complete extent
now. “Tax payers’ money should be spent on proper projects instead of those,
which are  opposed by the residents,” he said and added if the Palike was
anxious to spend public money then it should think of constructing small
shops for the economically weaker people doing their business on the
pavements at Gandhi Bazaar.

Basavanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya too had the same grouse that his opinion
was not sought before carrying out the work. “The place where the work is
going on is not a part of my constituency. Yet, that place where the
underpass is coming up is identified as Basavanagudi. People from my
constituency use it the most and they may have problem with this underpass.
What hurts me was that I was also not consulted,” said Ravi Subramanya.

Former counsellor Satyanarayana too was angry that people’s view was not
sought before starting the work. “Just because officials believe that this
project is essential, it should not be undertaken unilaterally. People’s
view must be taken,” Sathyanarayana said.

The public representatives were enraged that the contractor worked day and
night and disturbed the tranquil nights at K R Puram by using JCB to dig the
entire stretch from Tagore Circle to Basavanagudi police station.
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