More than 2,000 citizens took to the streets to voice their opposition to the 102-km network of elevated corridors that will change the face of the city. For many, Saturday's protest was reminiscent of the #SteelFlyoverBeda campaign in 2016, which also saw citizens’ groups unite in a similar planner. The government finally scrapped its plan to build the nearly-7-km flyover from Basaveshwara Circle to Esteem Mall in Hebbal.
In comparison, the elevated corridor is a behemoth, said protesters who rallied under the #TenderRadduMadi slogan to demand that the government cancel the tender it had called for the first phase of the project.
The Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL) had floated a tender for the first phase – North South corridor of 22.12 km from Baptist Hospital on Ballari Road to Silk Board Junction – on March 4 without public consultation.
Civic groups and members of several residents’ welfare associations also took umbrage over attempts to brand them as the #Beda brigade, one that opposed any form of development. They argued that that they were the original #Beku brigade with demands for public transport and facilities for non-motorable transport.
Srinivas Alavilli of Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB) suggested a string of slogans, including ‘Modalu Chukkubukku Beku’, ‘Modalu Bus Beku’, ‘Modalu Metro Beku’, ‘Modalu Cycle Beku’ and ‘Modalu Footpath Beku’.
“We are not blindly opposed to development. After the #SteelFlyoverBeda campaign, we have been constantly fighting for public transport – #ChukkuBukkuBeku and #BusBhagyaBeku – providing alternate solutions. But the government seems to be fixated on infrastructure for private vehicles,” he said.
Charter finalised
Protesters finalised a citizens’ charter to improve public transport in the city. It prioritised augmenting the capacity of BMTC’s fleet; fast-tracking the suburban rail and metro projects; and encouraging non-motorised transport, such as cycling and walking. The charter urged the government to take up projects that encourage mass transit systems and not private transport.
Dr. Ashish Verma, associate professor, Transportation Systems Engineering (TSE), IISc., cited studies which indicate that public transport serves citizens better. “Studies clearly indicate that buses serve 45% of all the trips made in the city every day and cars serve 5% of the total trips. But during peak hours, cars occupy eight times more space than buses. The government's plans to accord more space for cars is shocking,” he said.
He spoke about his experience living in Mumbai to drive home his argument. “Bengaluru has a mobility crisis. I have lived in Mumbai, which built many flyovers and the Worli Sea Link. But the city is more congested than it was earlier. Bengaluru needs to become smart and leapfrog to sustainability,” he said.
‘Develop other cities to ease burden on Bengaluru’
‘Bengaluru Development Saku’ was one of the slogans sounded at Saturday's protests against the elevated corridor project. Arguing that the city had reached saturation point, protesters instead suggested mass transit systems and a decentralisation of economic activity in the State to ease the pressure on Bengaluru.
Theatre activist Prakash Belawadi said it is necessary for the government to step up and develop Tumakuru, Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad and other cities as alternative economic engines of the State. “Politicians from other areas, once they get elected, camp in the city, start businesses and get invested in Bengaluru. These leaders should be ashamed at the state of the regions they get elected from. There needs to be a paradigm shift,” said Mr. Belawadi.
Architect Naresh Narasimhan, who also attended the protest, had a similar solution. He proposed developing Sarjapura, Tumakuru, Devanahalli, Hoskote, Nelamangala, Kanakapura, Bidadi-Ramanagar-Magadi, Anekal to decongest Bengaluru. “All these towns already have local planning authorities and master plans. We need to speed up the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) connecting these roads and connect them radially from the city through suburban trains,” he said.
Urban planners have projected that the population of Bengaluru will increase by another crore over the next decade. The population must be accommodated in these towns around the city, said Mr. Narasimhan. “Bengaluru is saturated. We need a break,” he said.
Politicians kept out
Civic groups, who organised the #TenderRadduMadi protest on Saturday, ensured that the movement did not become politicised. All politicians were kept out regardless of their stand on the elevated corridor project.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar and independent candidate from Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections Prakash Raj are opposed to the elevated corridor and expressed their support for the protest, but stayed away.
“We did receive messages from BJP leaders asking if they could attend the protest. But we respectfully declined their participation at the event. All parties are equally responsible for the mess in Bengaluru. If they want to fix that, we request them to raise the people's objections at the Assembly,” said Tara Krishnaswamy of Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), one of the organisers of the protest. She added that it was a “people's issue and not about partisan politics. The #TenderRadduMaadi protest is of, for and by citizens only”.
When he was an independent MP, Mr. Chandrashekhar was at the forefront of the #SteelFlyoverBeda protests in 2016. At the time, the then Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George had alleged that the campaign was politically motivated, and accused him of blocking the city's development.
Mr. Chandrashekjar told mediapersons that he stayed away as his participation would allow the Congress–JDS to politicise the protest.
Theatre activist Prakash Belawadi came down heavily on the party for being silent over the issue. “The BJP must be ashamed as it has not vocally opposed the project. This only leads us to suspect that it will also carry out the same project if it comes to power. If they are really concerned about the damage the project wrecks on the city, they must not only oppose it, but also take a public pledge that they won’t carry it forward when they come to power,” he said.