BENGALURU: Opposition Congress leaders joined the activists and Residents’ Welfare Associations in protesting against the construction of Sankey flyover at Bashyam Circle on Monday. The Congress leaders were taken into preventive custody.
The leaders, led by KPCC president DK Shivakumar and its working president Ramalinga Reddy, urged the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to stop the Sankey road widening and also the flyover worth Rs 60 crore. The police warned the agitators to leave the place, but the Congress leaders and workers blocked the roads and protested. As a precautionary measure, some of the youth Congress workers were taken into preventive custody.
“The flyover is unscientific. This appears to be a contractor-oriented work and the government is pushing it without hearing out the residents of Malleswaram, Vyalikaval and its surroundings. We launched the protest to instil confidence into the residents and activists, and show them we are with them in their fight against BBMP and the government,” said Reddy.
The residents and activists had met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on February 3. On Sunday, the residents asked KPCC president DK Shivakumar and other party leaders to raise the issue in the Assembly, after which the opposition party launched the protest at Sankey road.
“We are happy that Congress came and expressed solidarity and has promised that they will take up the issue in the Assembly. They were patient and listened to our concerns regarding Sankey road widening and the flyover,” said Preeti Sunderajan from Citizens for Sankey.