Siddaramaiah backed out fearing criticism but I would not have 'cowered', says DCM Shivakumar about steel flyover project

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said he would not have ”cowered” for any reason from going ahead with the steel flyover project, whereas Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, during the previous Congress government’s tenure, backed out from it ”fearing” criticism and uproar against it Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru Development Minister, made the comment while speaking on the occasion of Kempegowda Jayanti celebrations in Vidhana Soudha, and said that various stakeholders have asked him to consider building tunnels and flyovers in the city.

”In the previous Siddaramaiah government, a move was made towards building a steel bridge. There was such a huge uproar and criticism, and drums were beaten to say there was bribery and corruption. Siddaramaiah feared it (criticism and uproar). He and George (the then Bengaluru City Development minister K J George) said no to it,” Shivakumar said on Tuesday.

“If it was me, I would not have cowered for any reason… Even now I will take certain decisions,” he said, adding that he will move ahead, and those wanting to protest can do so.

Shivakumar is referring to a past proposal to build a 6.7-km-long steel flyover from Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal Junction at a cost of Rs 1,761 crore, to improve connectivity to the airport and to get relief from traffic congestion.

As many as 800 trees would have been felled if the steel flyover was to be built.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted, ”Basically, D K Shivkumar (sic) is telling that Siddaramaiah is no good as an administrator or even as Chief Minister. It has not even been a few months and internecine war, between the two factions, threatens to paralyse the Karnataka Govt. 5 Guarantees have also not been implemented.”