The High Court on July 25, 2012, disposed off the PIL by ordering a final stay on the Sirsi-Agara flyover construction work till the time the CM appointed committee submits their report. Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice Aravind Kumar ordered the stay.

Flyover work - water tank junction. Pic: Anisha Nair

The BDA counsel submitted that the Chief Minister has already formed a committee to study this project and take into account the citizens’ grievances. According to HC order, the Government will also have to issue an advertisement in papers inviting the public, to attend the hearing and voice their opinion. Petitioners’ representative will also be called to present their case before the committee.

The committee’s first meeting is to be held on August 13th, 2012. They will be submitting their findings on September 15th, 2012 and the High Court will take a final decision on the work on October 5th, 2012.

The HC also asked the petitioners to withdraw the contempt case filed against BDA and its erstwhile commissioner in the interests of amicable discussions.

The residents who filed the case are happy with the ruling. Muralidhar Rao, RWA member, Koramangala, says, “We do not know who is in the committee, but they will surely have to hear us out this time.”

Rajeev Chandrashekar, Rajyasabha MP and Koramangala resident, says “This is a big victory for citizens participation in the decision making process and must serve as a precedent for all future projects being taken up in the city. It is important that Government must choose on its own to involve and engage residents before taking up any project..” The MP’s Namma Bengaluru Foundation funded the PIL against the project.⊕

Anisha Nair is a Staff Journalist at Citizen Matters.

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