Bengaluru: Anchepalya residents say BMRCL failed to keep word, climb Metro viaduct in protest

BENGALURU: Residents of Anchepalya, near Nagasandra on Tumakuru Road, staged a protest against Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) saying it has failed to provide two road links to the upcoming Chikkabidarakallu (Jindal) metro station from Anchepalya and other villages.
This metro section is part of the 3 km Nagasandra-BIEC (Madavara), an extension of Greenline. While around 100 people threatened to block the busy Tumakuru Road on Thursday morning, around 10 youngsters climbed the under-construction Metro viaduct with a banner and shouted slogans against BMRCL.
Traffic was affected for a brief period after some protesters sat on Tumakuru Road. The movement was restored after police and BMRCL officials assured the agitators they’d look into their demands.
Mukesh Gowda, a protester, said, “BMRCL has betrayed us. They promised to provide two roads to the station. Metro construction is almost over but they haven’t fulfilled the promise so far. We will continue the protest and won’t allow the work till we get justice.”
BMRCL officials said they had acquired an additional area of 1,885 sqm to provide road links to Chikkabidarakallu Metro Station from the villages via a layout in the area but the layout developers filed a petition in the high court against this.
BMRCL chief public relations officer BL Yeshwanth Chavan said, “The connecting road is on hold due to legal hurdles. Once they’re cleared, it will be taken up.” However, Gowda said, “The verdict has gone in favour of the developers. Now, we have neither a station nor a road.”
In 2019-2020, Anchepalya residents protested for eight months demanding the construction of a metro station in the area. They threatened to halt the ongoing metro work and block Tumakuru Road if their demands were not met. The residents also approached the HC, stating Anchepalya station location was changed to help the residents of Prestige Jindal City. However, Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka noted they cannot decide on the location since they don’t have the technical expertise. The court directed BMRCL to take an appropriate decision.
BMRCL stated it was too late to include the new station as the Nagasandra-BIEC section is in its final stages. Residents withdrew the protest reportedly after BMRCL promised two new roads.