Bengaluru residents oppose ₹488 crore flyover, demand metro to Kadugodi via Varthur

Residents of Varthur Nagarikara Hita Rakshana Vedike are opposing a proposed ₹488 crore flyover in East Bengaluru, advocating for a metro line instead.

In a strong show of civic engagement, the Varthur Nagarikara Hita Rakshana Vedike, a residents’ group in East Bengaluru, has submitted a detailed memorandum to Chief Secretary Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, opposing the proposed ₹488 crore flyover in Varthur.

Bengaluru residents also flagged serious environmental violations, pointing out that the flyover is planned within the buffer zone of Varthur Lake. (Special arrangement)

The group has instead demanded a metro line connecting Jigani to Kadugodi Tree Park via Varthur, aligning with sustainable and future-ready mobility needs for the city’s growing eastern corridor.

The memorandum raises multiple legal, environmental, and planning concerns about the 1.92-km-long, 60-feet-wide elevated corridor that is currently under consideration.

The civic group has alleged that the project has moved forward without mandatory public consultation, transparency in cost escalation, or compliance with legal provisions under the Karnataka Town & Country Planning (KTCP) Act, 1961.

The cost of the project, initially pegged at ₹187 crore, has reportedly jumped to ₹488 crore with no public explanation, the memorandum notes. “No Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been disclosed to the public, and the project has been kept opaque despite years of opposition since 2018,” as mentioned in the letter addressed to Chief Secretary.

Residents flag serious violations

The group also flagged serious environmental violations, pointing out that the flyover is planned within the buffer zone of Varthur Lake, an action that directly contravenes a Karnataka High Court ruling, which prohibits construction within 30 meters of lake boundaries. The flyover, they argue, poses flood risks, accelerates groundwater depletion, and contributes to Bengaluru’s worsening urban heat island effect.

Further, the Vedike claims the flyover has bypassed review by the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) and the State Finance Commission, both of which are constitutionally mandated to assess large-scale urban infrastructure projects. “This makes the project unconstitutional and legally unsustainable,” the memorandum asserts.

Of particular concern is the potential loss of the area’s rich environmental and cultural heritage. The project reportedly threatens century-old trees and the 16th-century Channarayaswamy and Kashi Vishwanatha-swamy Temples in Varthur. “The Tree Council’s permission has not been sought, violating the High Court’s ruling, which mandates public consultation before cutting trees.”

Instead of car-centric infrastructure like flyovers, which they say will be saturated in a few years, the group has urged the state to prioritize mass transit options. “Cities like Seoul, Madrid, and San Francisco are dismantling flyovers to make way for metro lines and pedestrian-friendly zones. Bengaluru should be planning ahead, not backwards,” the Vedike wrote.

The memorandum ends with six clear demands, including scrapping the flyover project, disclosing the full DPR and cost justifications, protecting local heritage, and commissioning an independent mobility study through the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT).

The Vedike has also requested an urgent meeting with KRDCL officials and other relevant stakeholders to discuss alternatives that align better with Bengaluru’s long-term transport and environmental priorities.