SC to hear plea against Sivananda flyover

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on March 12 a plea opposing a proposed steel flyover at Sivananda Circle, Bengaluru.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud put the petition filed by city resident B P Mahesh and others for consideration on Monday.

"Let the matter be listed on Monday, the 12th March 2018 before the appropriate bench as per roster," the court ordered, on an urgent hearing plea made by advocate Balaji Srinivasan, on behalf of Mahesh and other residents.

The petitioners challenged the Karnataka High Court's order, dismissing his PIL.

They claimed that the proposed flyover on Hare Krishna Road was in violation of the guidelines and the specifications prepared by the Indian Roads Congress with regard to vertical height and ramp gradient.

The Karnataka High Court had, however, concluded that any order interjecting the progress in construction of the flyover would defeat public interest. It found that the balance tilted in favour of the construction of the flyover.

The high court had also noted that the BBMP, during the pendency of the matter, had modified the design and made a sincere attempt to bring the technical specifications as near to the norms prescribed by the IRC.

This has resulted in maintaining the vertical clearance of 4.50 metres and reducing the ramp gradients to 3.50% and 5.60%.

Noting that the BBMP has taken sufficient care with regard to the public safety, the court had said it can only examine the decision-making process under the writ jurisdiction as development of infrastructure and providing civic amenities are the duties of the civic bodies and the same are undertaken according to policies framed by the executive from time to time.