High Court rejects airport metro station plea

The Karnataka High Court has dismissed a petition seeking the construction of a metro station at Betta Halasuru Cross on the upcoming Namma Metro Blue Line connecting KR Puram to Kempegowda International Airport. The petition, filed by B.G. Nanjundappa and four others, argued that omitting the station would cause significant inconvenience to the public, especially residents of nearby villages.

The court, however, ruled that decisions regarding the location and construction of metro stations fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice M.G. S. Kamal stated that such decisions are not subject to judicial review under Article 226 of the Constitution. The petitioners contended that without a station at Betta Halasuru Cross, nearly 2 lakh people from around 20 villages would be forced to rely on private vehicles, with the nearest metro station located nearly 8 kilometers away. This would particularly affect students, daily commuters, and small business owners.

The court directed BMRCL to consider the concerns raised by the petitioners but maintained that the final decision rests with the authority. The bench reiterated that planning and executing infrastructure projects is a matter best left to expert agencies, not the judiciary. With growing public demand, BMRCL may now face increased pressure to revisit its decision. However, for now, the construction of the proposed station remains off the table.