Traffic Congestion: Madhya Pradesh High Court Orders Dismantling Of BRTS Corridor In Indore City

While hearing a plea in nature of Public Interest Litigation questioning the utility and necessity of construction of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS Corridor) in the city of Indore, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the State to remove the BRTS corridor as it has lost its utility in the present day scenario.The division bench of Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain observed, “Since the Petitioners, the Committee and the respondent/State is of the view that the BRTS Project in Indore city is of no use and accordingly, the State and stake holders are directed to remove the same as per the policy decision already taken by the respondent/State. The respondent/State shall take steps accordingly.”Pursuant to order dated September 23, 2024, a committee was constituted which submitted a report stating, “In the subsequent events and changes in the Government policy, huge increase in volume of traffic and everyday traffic congestion in both sides of the BRTS Corridor has persuaded the Committee to conclude that BRTS Corridor has lost its utility in the present day scenario.”The State Government in its affidavit filed on February 27 stated that during the past 12 years, various developments have taken place in the city of Indore, the population has increased and the city has also expanded to a large extent. Therefore, the continuation of BRTS corridor in the city of Indore in present circumstances is resulting in continuous and regular traffic jams particularly during the opening and closing hours of the offices and other market places, etc.The report further stated, “On account of regular traffic jams occurring in the city of Indore, adversely affecting the interest of the public at large, though, initially the writ petition was resisted by the answering respondents by filing replies justifying the construction of BRTS corridor in the city of Indore however, now in the change circumstances, a policy decision has been taken to remove the BRTS corridor and instead, construct a series of 7 flyovers so that, 2 parallel roads for mobility of traffic may be made available over the area in question wherein, the BRTS corridor is operational at present. The proposed series of flyover to be constructed would be having appropriate junctions at appropriate distances so that, free flow of traffic mobility is ensured and minimum difficulty is caused to the general public at large moving on the said roads…It would thus be seen that by afflux of time and changed circumstances, the answering respondents have themselves taken a policy decision for removal of BRTS corridor from the city of Indore for which, the appropriate exercise has already been initiated by the answering respondents and therefore, the relief claimed by the petitioner in the instant writ petition stands worked out and now there remains nothing for adjudication in the present writ petition and accordingly, the same deserves to be disposed of as having being rendered infructuous."Therefore, the court considering the view of petitioners, the Committee and the respondent/State directed the State and stakeholders to remove the BRTS Project in Indore city.The petition was hence, disposed of.Case Title: Kishore Deepak Kodwani And Others Versus State Of M.P. And Others, Writ Petition No. 36413 Of 2024Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (MP) 44Click here to Read/Download Order

Traffic Congestion: Madhya Pradesh High Court Orders Dismantling Of BRTS Corridor In Indore City

Anukriti Mishra

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