Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday stated that most of the elevated corridor will be built on existing roads and public consultation will be held wherever private property is being acquired.
Speaking to DH, he defended the state government’s move to go ahead with the elevated corridor, which is being opposed by a section of the civil society.
Cautioning those protesting not to “politicise the project”, Parameshwara said there was no going back on the elevated corridor. “The city has a crying need for infrastructure and the complaint about its lack is heard very often. The elevated corridor has been planned to allow seamless connectivity between different ends of the city. It will benefit a lot of people,” he said.
When the issue of public consultation was pointed out, Parameshwara said people would be consulted when required. “Most of the corridor will come upon the existing roads. Wherever there is a need for land acquisition, we will consult the public,” he said.
Referring to the protests against the project, the deputy chief minister said, “I have sent out a message yesterday (Wednesday) against those who politicise the project.”
Questioned about the Indian Institute of Science report that suggested building a metro instead of an elevated road on the same corridor, the deputy chief minister said they had explored a road-cum-rail corridor.
“The engineers had even prepared designs for metro-cum-road corridor but it is not feasible as the cost is too exorbitant. Metro corridors are anyway coming up. The elevated corridor is needed to address the congestion on the road,” he said.
On the issue of city bodies like the BBMP and the BDA being kept out of the project, he said the problem has been resolved. “There was a problem earlier. The Karnataka Road Development Corporation later consulted both the BBMP and the BDA. Their inputs have been incorporated,” he said.