BENGALURU: After Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-Smile) invited tenders for the elevated corridor project worth hundreds of crores of rupees without public consultation, civil society members and experts are arguing that public consultation is legally mandated.
Prashanth Mirle, a Karnataka High Court advocate and an expert on property tax in municipal corporations, stated that as public projects involve land acquisition, it has become mandatory for civic agencies and the government to compulsorily hold a public discussion. “In case of land acquisition, the owners have to be rehabilitated or compensated as per the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. Public consultation on multi-crore public projects is a must. However, the agencies bypass this process and create documents to justify their actions,” said Mirle.
Prof Ashish Verma from Indian Institute of Science says, “A majority of developed countries prioritise public consultation on different stages of public projects as it reflects on comprehensive mobility.
Currently, the predominant practice is the government order for civic agencies to push public projects without giving preference to public consultation. We don’t know whether such a project helps the public or addresses the day-to-day challenge of mobility and others.” He added that the whole planning process does not take the larger interest of the public into account.
The experts expressed resentment over alleged remarks from B-Smile officials defending their action, by stating that the agency is not mandated to hold any such public consultation over big-ticket projects.
While experts press for public consultation, a senior urban activist junked the idea, stating that many resident welfare association members waste the opportunity by asking mediocre or stereotypical questions and defeating the purpose.
“Two senior members of a residential welfare association from Bengaluru South City Corporation had come to Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, and instead of sticking to the point, were asking for the name and background of a senior official,” the activist said.