[Reader-list] Story of the Bangalore Metro Rail

[Mohit Thatte]

This is a typical example where "greater good" clashes with the interest of
locals.

To be more specific, the city of Bangalore will get an alternate, efficient
means of public transport thereby reducing commute times, improving traffic
conditions, reducing air pollution(?), saving fuel costs and so on. On the
other hand, some individuals will be affected by the construction activity
leading to the loss of business temporarily, for which they will be
compensated by the BMRCL.

Who is to decide what is "fair" in such a scenario?

Clearly, with the building of the metro, there will be multiple groups of
people whose businesses are affected. Who decides whether the compensation
paid to them is fair or not?

On the other hand, it seems evident from the numbers in the linked article
that the compensation structure is quite unfair to a lot of people, where do
they turn for redressal?! If the court says it cannot interfere with matters
of policy, there is no where to go for the traders!


~Mohit


On Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 6:07 PM, Zainab Bawa <bawazainab79 at gmail.com> wrote:

> 26/02/2008
>
> I was sitting in the verandah of the Karnataka High Court. That day, Judge
> K. L. Manjunath was to pass an order on whether the alignment of the Metro
> Rail should run along CMH Road or along Old Madras Road. The Bangalore
> Metro
> Rail Corporation has been fighting tooth and nail to ensure that the
> alignment of the Metro stays on CMH Road. The traders along CMH Road argue
> that their trades will be shut for two years, in addition to the
> displacement that will take place owing to the demolition of a number of
> shops to build the Metro. "We have made CMH Road what it is today. Who
> wants
> compensation? We want our place!"
>
> "We want our place!"
> "We want our place!"
> "We want our place!"
> "We want our place!"
> "We want our place!"
> "We want our place!"
> "We want our place!"
> "We want our place!"
>
> 26/02/2008
>
> I was sitting in the verandah of the Karnataka High Court. That day, Judge
> K. L. Manjunath was to pass an order on whether the alignment of the Metro
> Rail should run along CMH Road or along Old Madras Road. I found myself as
> nervous, perhaps even more nervous than the traders whose fates were to be
> determined by a legal order. Well, but of course, in the city, our fates
> are
> sealed by forces more than one, that is if the avenues for negotiations
> remain open. So eventually, I asked one of the traders, "Are you nervous?"
> He smiled and said, "We are confident. God is on our sides." Now, I wonder
> how God aligns himself/herself and how we align God and how the BMRCl
> aligns
> God ...
>
> The arguments took place in the court. At one point, the counsel for the
> BMRCL openly stated, "The court is not a forum for deciding on the merits
> and demerits of economic and administrative policies." The judge was not
> perturbed by this statement. Eventually, the judge declares that the court
> is not the authority to decide on the alignment of the Metro. Neither can
> people question the genesis of the Metro. The plan and infrastructure are
> declared supreme!
>
> (Is there anything more to say?) ....
>
> For more details, see
> http://www.citizenmatters.in/articles/view/81-cmh-road-no-to-metro
>
>
>
> --
> Zainab Bawa
> Ph.D. Student and Independent Researcher
>
> Between Places ...
> http://wbfs.wordpress.com
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-- 
-Mohit Thatte
"*Smart one-liner goes here*"