Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Residents chase survey staff

Special Correspondent, The Hindu

Bangalore: Residents of Indiranagar, and in particular those of Chinmaya Mission Hospital Road, on Monday chased the staff of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation who came to the spot to conduct a preliminary survey before commencing the formal civil works.

People residing in the vicinity of the CMH Road and the 100-foot Road of Indiranagar told The Hindu that a section of angry residents and traders, who were awaiting the arrival of the survey staff, chased them even as they alighted from a Government car. The survey staff were accompanied by a contingent of police personnel, but the latter, sensing the anger of the people, chose to stay away. The survey staff suggested some remedial measures to the people.

Thereafter the survey staff left for another spot about a kilometre away on the same stretch of road where again they were threatened with "dire consequences" if they attempted to commence their work.The former Chamarajpet MLA and resident of Indiranagar, Pramila Nesargi, who has taken up the cause of the residents and traders of Indiranagar, told The Hindu : "Come what may we will not permit the authorities to take up the metro rail work. Let them shoot us down before commencing the work. The metro rail will not be permitted on CMH Road at any cost."

She said: "Let them shift the alignment to the Old Madras Road which runs parallel to the CMH Road. Shifting it will even reduce the length of the rail link by 0.5 km and save the tax-payers' money."

The BMRC authorities said that they had been to CMH Road to finalise their plan to start the work. "The people started demanding the Government order relating to the alignment. Why should we show the Government order to all. We wanted to start work after receiving directions from senior officials. The alignment has been finalised and there is no question of changing it at the present juncture," an official said.

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