BENGALURU: Hundreds of citizens, led by the Bengaluru Navanirmana Party (BNP), gathered at Lalbagh to oppose the draft Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) Rules, 2025, alleging that a key provision could allow major infrastructure projects to bypass mandatory scrutiny. Protesters specifically targeted Draft Rule 24, demanding greater transparency, accountability and public oversight in urban development decisions.
As part of the protest, citizens launched a postcard campaign on Saturday, writing their objections to the draft rules and sending them to the urban development department.
The BNP has raised strong objections to several provisions in the draft, arguing that they dilute democratic oversight and concentrate power. The party flagged Draft Rule 24 as its primary concern, alleging that it enables retrospective legitimisation of large infrastructure projects initiated over the past two years, involving investments worth thousands of crores. Such projects, BNP claimed, would be exempted from statutory scrutiny mandated under the BMLTA Act, 2022.
Calling it a “backdoor attempt”, BNP alleged that Rule 24 could be used to push through contested projects such as the proposed tunnel road, which has been flagged by experts and even the BMLTA itself as environmentally, financially and infrastructurally not sound. The party argued that retrospective approvals undermine public consultation, expert evaluation and evidence-based planning, and demanded the complete removal of Rule 24 from the draft.
The BNP also objected to other provisions, including what it described as excessive discretionary powers vested in the chairperson under Rule 7, conditional voting procedures under Rule 9, where the chairperson’s declaration is deemed conclusive unless two-thirds of members demand a vote – and the concentration of authority under Rule 14(3). It further criticised weak penalties under Rule 19, calling for comprehensive revisions to strengthen accountability and democratic governance.
Independent mobility expert Satya Arikutharam said Draft Rule 24 was a deliberate attempt to shield “unscientific vanity projects” from mandatory review under Section 19 of the BMLTA Act. “The government worries that none of the unscientific projects, especially the tunnel road proposal, can obtain Section 19 approval. Hence, it is stealthily trying to get deemed approval status through Rule 24,” he said.