Budget 2019: Controversial steel flyover finds no place

Cautious of courting a bitter controversy and facing the wrath of Bengalureans ahead of general polls Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday ‘dropped’ the controversial steel flyover project from his Budget speech.

While the chief minister allocated funds for various infrastructure projects, including the elevated corridor, there was no mention of the proposed steel flyover between Basaveshwara Circle and Hebbal flyover.

The project garnered enough attention after Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara openly declared that the project, which was previously scrapped by the Siddaramaiah led Congress government, would indeed be revived to decongest the city.

Sources in chief minister secretariat revealed to DH that Kumaraswamy had reportedly directed the officials not to include steel flyover in his Budget speech as it would spoil the show, especially ahead of polls to the Lok Sabha, and coalition partners are working overtime to wrest Bengaluru Lok Sabha seats from the strong clutches of the BJP.

However, compensating the project, the government has listed out multiple projects, including adding an additional loop around Hebbal flyover and Goragunte Palya junctions. Just a few days before the presentation of the Budget, the issue of steel flyover had raised its hood with the Bangalore Development Authority marking about 140 trees along the Ballari
Road.