Indiranagar residents to protest against BDA plans

Say new complex would increase traffic

Indiranagar residents will stage a protest on Saturday against an upcoming shopping complex being built by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

They are against the BDA’s plan to demolish the existing shopping complex, which is just three-decades old, saying it is both unnecessary and detrimental to the locality as it would increase traffic.

“There are several malls in and around the locality, and there’s no point in constructing another one. Instead, we’d prefer a park that would provide better lung space,” said Swarna Venkataraman, a resident of Indiranagar 3rd Stage.

Building the complex would also result in 171 trees being axed, against the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regulations concerning lake buffer zones.

Members of the organisation United Bengaluru said the mall is located near the Binnamangala Lake.

Suresh N R, convener of United Bengaluru, said: “Why can’t they consult the public before going about such projects that involve hundreds of crores of rupees? According to reports in the media, they are going to cut down 171 trees. Have they consulted the tree committee regarding this?”

Residents are planning to protest against the felling of 171 trees at the BDA complex at 5 pm, and against commercialisation of the residential areas in Indiranagar at 100 Feet Road on 12th Main junction at 6 pm.