Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar caused a stir after his remark regarding a project that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was "scared" to proceed with in his earlier term.
"In the previous Siddaramaiah government, they wanted to build a steel bridge, but there was a massive uproar over it. At that time, Siddaramaiah got scared and backed down from the project," Shivakumar said, adding he would have gone ahead with the project. He was speaking at a Kempegowda Jayanti event in Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief further said that he will also take some tough decisions in this term which will help Bengaluru in the long run.
Hebbal Flyover Project
He was referring to the Basaveshwara Nagar to Hebbal steel flyover project which was scrapped after facing backlash from citizens and welfare groups. The 6.7 kilometers steel flyover plan was proposed as a means to decongest the Hebbal area, which is often jam packed with traffic. The area is also used by those who want to go to Kempegowda International Airport from central Bengaluru, making it an extremely busy route.
The protesters claimed that the project would affect the green cover of garden city as it might lead to uprooting hundreds of trees in the area. The government then decided to scrap the project because of environmental concerns.
On Shivakumar's remark, state minister Priyank Kharge said, "I wouldn't say that Siddaramaiah got scared. The chief minister is sensitive to public opinion. Sometimes, false narratives get floated and good decisions are delayed. I think that is what the deputy chief minister meant."
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were the top contenders for the chief minister post in the state during the recently concluded assembly elections. After prolonged negotiations for several days, Siddaramaiah was declared as the chief minister with Shivakumar as his deputy. He also holds the Bengaluru City Development portfolio which will allow him to make key decisions regarding the development of the city.
