Bengaluru’s tunnel road project subject to outcome of petitions, says Karnataka High Court
The Karnataka High Court has ruled that any contracts for Bengaluru's proposed tunnel road project must be subject to the final outcome of ongoing legal petitions. The court emphasized that it will only review the procedural and legal validity of the project's approvals rather than the infrastructure plan itself.
Why it matters
This decision introduces significant legal uncertainty for contractors and the state government regarding a massive infrastructure project, highlighting the tension between urban development and legal oversight.
The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed that any contract entered into by the State government or its agencies, with third parties for the proposed tunnel road project, will be subject to the outcome of the hearing on three PIL petitions challenging the legality of the approvals for the project.
The court also made it clear that the government should inform the contractors in writing that the contract would be subject to the final outcome of the petitions.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha passed the interim order while hearing the petitions filed last year by Adikesavalu Ravindra, Prakash Belawadi, and the Citizens Action Forum, Bengaluru.
The Bench passed the interim order after advocates for the petitioners expressed apprehension about the possibility of work orders being issued.
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