Priyank slams govt for Sankey flyover project despite serious objections from residents, experts

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Priyank Kharge (in pic), a member of the Legislative Assembly from Chittapur, took to Twitter and slammed the state government for mauling through the proposed widening and construction of a flyover on the Sankey Road despite serious objections from residents.

“Why is the government so hell-bent on widening the Sankey Bund Road and building a flyover?,” he asked in a series of tweets. He noted that the government has not had any public hearings or consultations, despite objections being raised with the municipal body BBMP and the government. He questioned why the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has not been put in the public domain.

“National Green Tribunal has directed to maintain a buffer zone and green belt of 75 metres from the periphery of lakes. Does the project satisfy this criteria? No. The project also conflicts with the provisions of the Comprehensive Bangalore Mobility Plan of the government,” he tweeted.

He also recalled the recent incident where around 2,000 students from neighbourhoods surrounding Malleswaram, Vyalikaval and Sadashivanagar sent handwritten postcards to the Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai requesting him to put a stop to the proposed widening and flyover.

Addressing him as ‘Bommai uncle’ in their letters, the students have urged him to protect their schools. “Why the urgency? For whose benefit? Why is the government being so adamant?,” he tweeted using the hashtag #FlyoverYaake.

Srinivas Alavilli, one of the key organisers of the Steel Flyover Beda campaign in 2016, took note of the Twitter thread and said, “Great to see Karnataka Congress leaders take up this cause. Completely unnecessary project that flouts all norms and when and if built will create more problems than it claims to solve.”