RWAs to protest against Sankey Road widening today

As many as 110 trees would be felled for widening Sankey Road. The seven organisations had talks with the public representatives and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike officials insisting them to drop the project. However, when the talks failed, the organisations decided to stage a protest.

The members of Sankey Park Walkers’ Association, Sadashivanagar Residents’ Welfare Association, Lower Palace Orchards Residents’ Welfare Association, Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative, Hasiru Usiru, Working Professionals of Sadashivanagar and Gayathri Devi Park Residents’ Welfare Association will stage protest under an umbrella organisation called ‘Save Sankey Park and Road Forum’.

According to Dr Rajan, who is leading the movement, the agitation would begin at 4 pm on Sunday. Members of all the Associations would assemble at the Sankey Park and form a human chain in protest against the proposed six lane corridor from Cauvery junction to the CNR Rao Circle.

Speaking to Deccan Herald Dr Rajan said, the BBMP is executing widening work on CV Raman Road and Bellary Road, which in itself constitutes a readymade alternative corridor. The proposed corridor at Sankey Road has been unscientifically planned.

Building a signal-free corridor despite the presence of major junctions - Cauvery magic box, Bhashyam signal, 18th cross junction and Maramma Circle - will have disastrous social and ecological consequences for the entire neighbourhood, he said.

Vijayakumar, a resident expressed concern that there were four major schools close to the proposed corridor and the safety of schoolchildren on the six-lane high speed corridor would be a major challenge.

According to the agitators the project will cause damage to the existing green cover on the Sankey Road. At least 100-150 fully grown trees on this stretch are in imminent danger of being felled. The long-term benefits of this corridor are questionable especially when the metro, monorail and HSRL corridors are being planned in the vicinity, said the members. They also apprehended that the project would cause damage to Sankey Lake.