thumb_up 0

COMMENTS

[Srivastava makes me go on record with my stand on this. I had been hiding so far to stay clear and diplomatic.]

A group of women were protesting near Laxman Rau Park a week ago. A Deccan Herald reporter went to meet them and asked why they were doing so. They told the reporter something like this:

• We knew that Metro was coming to RV Road
• But we always thought that Metro was under ground here
• But one day we saw all the digging and construction
• and then people told us that it is not underground, it is all over ground.

Not being aware of things ahead of time (same excuse was used for the HAL vs BIAL airport thing which will re-ignite soon)  - how good an excuse should it be?

There are all sorts of discussion on - "we were not involved", "they are not transparent" etc. We discuss this matter as well. But there are hardly any solutions proposed, or activism shown to demand such "participation".

The right battle to fight is involvement and transparency (types of thing MVKK sir is advocating on other threads). That will attack the "source" of such last minute flare ups.

Even with participation thing addressed - there would always be people who will show up at the last moment saying "we were not aware". A system where each and every person is rounded up and forced to be aware - is it possible? May be - perhaps, via a referandum for all projects that cost over Rs 500 crores, or touch more than 3 assembly constutuencies.

It is late - we knew it, but we missed it. The reality is - we don't spend enough quality time to "analyze" these projects. Most activist groups and NGOs focus on field work and protest, or they analyze things in closed and polarized groups. And the other reality is - we can't draw people out for protests till the projects come down to the state where the work is "visible".

Metro today, BIAL agreement last year, before that Bangalore Masterplan 2015, before that BMTC expansion plans (MBS, Volvo etc) - these were all chances that we missed. These are projects that can't be analyzed by the masses. But handful of us - just 20-30 dedicated people per city - not doing anything but tracking and analyzing these projets and demanding transparency and explanations when these are planned and designed - wouldn't this prevent a lot of such last minute stalemate?

We must credit HU for setting an example on coordinating and managing campaigns for the cause they believe in - they are real activists. They are doing well to popularize the issues of sustainability. For example - salute them for taking BBMP heads on about mindless Road widening. Love HU for doing that.

But going hammer and tongs after the full project, again and again (It seems to me they have been against the whole Metro project, not just the RV Road stretch) - I don't get that. If RV Road protest were to be the first time I had heard about HU talking against Metro - I would not have typed this comment. But since I know that Metro will be criticized by the group no matter what - with people suggesting alternates to DPR and criticizing all pre-work done (asuming expertise in all areas) - I have been a little hesitant.

Srivastava - one thing you said there is so right - most of us assume that the people sitting in government are out there to harm us. Like they are all sitting and plotting the next worst thing, extorting money from us etc. This popular "notion" discourages "participation".

Most of us here on Praja are "no-ones". Absolutely nobody people, with no "connections" or anything at all. And, in just an year, 20-30 of us have gone and met BMTC, BMLTA, Police, BDA, BBMP etc etc - you name them. A few phone calls, just a litle persistence is all it took for us to see that participation is not hard, its simply a function of time and enthu we are willing to put - we are the bigger problem. Plus, there is RTI - easy, maximum 2 months process to know all you want to about anything.

Yes, just meeting and cajoling the babus and workers is not it - there is much much more to participation. But we know that the doors are not as closed as most people think it to be. There are enough "well meaning" folks on that 'other' side - who, if we work with, are willing to consume things we want to tell and explain.

• thumb_up Like
• · login or register to post comments

I dont know why there is so much protest for metro rail. It would be better if someone can also attach "reason for protest" whenever they seeks participation form Praja Folk for any kind of protest. I am sure people protesting metro rail for the reason  "cutting trees" have some other motive. Why there is no protest whenever there is an announcement of new layout. As formation of any layout means cuting "thounsand of trees"..still no protest from this pseudo green lovers... had they been sincere in their effort in ensuring green bangalore they wouldnt have allowed formation of any BDA layout..they should have been living in apartment in any tall building as it means less damage to green cover.

• thumb_up Like
• · login or register to post comments

          The answer to this question is a little tricky. I may end up violating a few guidelines in trying to answer your question.

           The answer to this question is that the people of this city/country are very opiniated about corrupt politicos and administrators. We tend to believe that ALL our people are corrupt; In doing so, we also do believe that people who have a clean record after having high offices are very efficient and intelligent, which need not be true. We dont understand that being 'clean' and having 'vision' for development are two different things.

           There is one such Mr. Clean , knowledgable in law. Most Bangaloreans have experienced his greatest contribution to Bangalore, the stretch from SJP road to Hudson Circle, but do not know that it his contribution. One of the most discussed topics (much before the metro days) was the Sirsi circle Flyover. Most people didnt see sense if did not go on upto Hudson circle. There are a few posts on Praja expressing the same opinion. Today, we have the flyover ramping down on to the SJP road, and there is a mess in the vehicular movement from SJP Road upto hudson Circle, with innumerable vehices contributing to excessive pollution.

          This pollution and irksome trouble is not because of the corrupt babu, but a Clean man (mistaken to be part of the intelligentsia) and a tree lover. His love for the 30-40 trees at the Silver Jubilee Park is the root cause for all the flyover not going upto Hudson Circle, and its also the root cause for all the pollution and dust in the area. Ironical, that a man who loved nature so much, that a decade later, he is identified as the root cause for pollution.

           Now, the man is not satisfied about this one contribution to Bangalore. He wants to contribute more. So, he has identified himself agianst a larger project in bid to 'increase' his contribution. He was till recently the co-ordinator of Environment Support Group, but has now joined the Hasiru Usiru bandwagon.

A request to Hasiru-Usiru:

              Hasiru is visible, and HU is striving to retain the visible part of its agenda. Usiru is not visible, and HU has conveniently forgotten the same. Metro will provide better Usiru for us in the decades to come. Please do not hinder the project by non-sense talk like "it will be constructed for the next 100 years; it will eat into existing road space etc" ( from this Hasiru-Usiru link).

            Instead, Strive to ensure that all localities/layouts planned in the future will have sufficient land marked for Metro lines. Educate the people that Metro is a non-polluting form of mass transport, taking much lesser space than buses and operating much faster than any other form of city transport.

-Srivatsava V

• thumb_up Like
• · login or register to post comments

Dear Spry,

Before questioning the motivation and assigning false motives to the protesters, it would be great if one would actually read the various articles that have recently been written on the issue.

This letter to the CM has a fair amount of depth: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savelalbaghfrommetro/

Also, please do browse the following website:

http://www.hasiruusiru.org

This article spells out how the Metro is guilty of serious differences between its plans and claims vs work on the ground.
 
http://www.hasiruusiru.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77:has-bmrcl-lied-in-its-eia-&catid=54:namma-metro&Itemid=77


Finally, if you would like some demystification of who these protesters and what their motives are, I would be glad to help you out. Easiest, just drop by at one of the protests, and you will see for yourself. 

Regards,
Kanishka.

• thumb_up Like
• · login or register to post comments

Spry, don't doubt their sincerity, or their motives for the protests. From what I know, they are dedicated activists, with no ulterior or hidden motives as such.

Don't make those assumptions please.

Opting to disagree with their stand - leave it at that. Disagree witht protest, not the protesters.

In my comment above - I am not claiming legal knowledge of Metro's ground operations. BMRCL may very well be violating laws. I am nobody to give a clean chit to them. I wrote my note solely based on the perception I have developed about Hasiru Usiru - polarized dedicated activists who oppose Metro as a project, not just the work at RV Road.

• thumb_up Like
• · login or register to post comments