Walk to reclaim Bengaluru: 9th Nov 2008, Sunday, Lalbagh West Gate

Hasiru Usiru, a network of community organisations, residents associations, project affected communities, voluntary organisations and individuals concerned about protecting equitable access to public spaces such as roads and parks in Bengaluru, invite you to participate in a Walk to Reclaim Bengaluru on November 9th 2008, at 11 am at Lalbagh West Gate. The key purpose is to highlight the extensive damage that road-widening and Metro projects are causing to the city, destroying in the process lives, livelihoods and thousands of trees. This walk is also to demand an inclusive planning process in shaping our city and ensuring that short-sighted, elite induced, infrastructure development, does not cause irreversible damage to the city and ruin the lives of thousands.

• The Walk is to highlight that there are many progressive and intelligent solutions to the current problems of traffic congestion that do not involve destruction of thousands of trees, businesses and homes.
• The Walk is to emphasise the importance of including public consultations as required by law in road widening and Metro construction proposals. (Currently, both projects are being rushed through in blatant violation of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, amongst others.)
• The Walk is to emphasise that the Metro is a solution that can work only if integrated with bus based transport modes.
• The Walk is to assert our right to participate in decision making relating to projects of our city.

Please help mobilizing the public at large to ensure maximum participation in the walk. Hasiru Usiru members are keen to meet with your community or organisation and explain why this Walk is so necessary now. Please confirm if you would like one of the Hasiru Usiru volunteers to meet with your community and make a presentation.

We are also accepting contributions to cover to the expenses involved in this initiative. For details of participation or to make a donation please contact Nandini, Divya or Sharmila at Environment Support Group. Email: bellursharmila@yahoo.com / nandini@esgindia.org / divyarrs@esgindia.org. Call them at Environment Support Group on (080)26531339, (080) 22441977 (b/w 10:30 AM and 5:30 PM) on all working days.

Namma Rasthe.. Namma Uru.. Hasire Usiru!

(Our Roads.... Our City... Greenery is Life's Breath)

Looking forward to your participation.

With warm Diwali greetings.

for Hasiru Usiru network