BENGALURU: While thousands of people are protesting against the proposed steel flyover from Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal, Bengaluru Development Minister K J George said just 1,500 protesters do not represent the entire Bengaluru population of 1.3 crore.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting he called with BJP and JD(S) city legislators on Tuesday, George said the issue would not be settled by the people and the media. “We, the state government, are elected by the public. Don’t we have the right to take decisions,” he asked.
“We have already taken the decision and we will proceed with it,” he added.
‘No dissenter has met me’
George said that no one had bothered to come forward when the government asked for public opinion.
“Anyone who is opposing the project is free to meet me anytime and I will explain the project to them,” he said, adding that none of the dissenters had come forward to meet him.
He had no assurances to give on the transplantation of 812 trees which are on the chopping block. “We can transplant them only if it is feasible,” he added.
George said they had sought the opinion of a technical committee consisting of people from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai. It was the committee that had recommended a steel flyover over concrete as it had distinct advantages.
He said the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is expected to raise funds all by itself for the project, but he declined to say how the BDA would go about it.
The Detailed Project Report for the extended portion of the flyover from Hebbal flyover to Columbia Asia Hospital will be ready in three days. This will clear the decks for taking up the controversial project. The project, expected to cost `1,791 crore, might cost `2,150 crore once the extension is taken into account.
Asked about the high cost estimation, George said if any central government agency takes up the work at a lower cost, the state is ready to give them the project. “They should not change the DPR and work should start in a month. We will give the project to any such agency,” he said.