Bangalore Development Authority public meet flop show

Bengaluru: Going against the suggestions of the environmentalists and citizen groups, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) went ahead with the face-to- face public consultation on the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR).

Only a hundred citizens could take part in the consultation. The BDA commissioner, Mahadev Revanna told The Hans India that for the people who could not attend the consultation there will be a virtual meet on September 3. "The deputy collector was present in the meeting and we have taken their suggestions. The major opposition is against the cutting down of 33,838 trees. Not only will there be a virtual consultation next month we will even release an email ID so that the citizens can write their reservations against the project and we will respond," he said. Green activist Vijay Nishanth who was present in the meeting apprised the gathering saying that several citizens could not attend the meeting because several areas in the city are under containment zones.

"If the project is against the farmers it should be scrapped. Moreover, the BDA should ponder over the impact axing of trees will have on the TG Halli area. The opinion of the farmers matters most. They are opposing the project as a huge tract of agricultural lands will be impacted," he stated.

The venue of the meeting could have accommodated only a few people. Rajya Sabha MP, Rajeev Chandrasekhar commented that PRR is an important infrastructure project for Bengaluru and is an significant for the city's mobility roadmap.

"There is no doubt, especially after this Covid pandemic. The future development must be about sustainability. There cannot be any doubt. Also that citizens are the most important stakeholders of Bengaluru. The apt way to do this public hearing in these challenging times of Covid19 is to do it virtually. It is only fair not to involve people in a physical assembly. I reiterate my support to the request of people and organisations of Bengaluru to hold a Virtual Public Hearing on this matter. I have urged officials in the government to hold this virtual public consultation on this subject," he stated.