Flying over ground realities
Now, it is anybody’s guess how this project will affect the existing structures that include a whirling junction near the Chief Minister’s house, an overpass at the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) junction, magic box underpasses at Cauvery junction and the underpass at Mekhri Circle. If the proposal gets the go-ahead, the elevated flyover will apparently trivialise these infrastructure projects.
With the scale of the proposed project as massive as the Hosur Road elevated tollway and the Mysore road flyover, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has entrusted the task of building it to the BDA. The Palike’s rationale- the Authority has the expertise to carry out such mega projects and does the work in a ‘very systematic way,’ as many Palike insiders themselves acknowledged.
It is another matter that the Opposition Leader in the Palike, M Nagaraju had strongly criticised the manner in which projects were handed over to BDA. “Are the BBMP engineers good for nothing and lack expertise,” questioned Nagaraj, indicating that the transfer of projects to the Authority was to create room for corruption. But Palike insiders say it is because the BBMP and the ministers related to the city do not want interference of corporators in any of these projects.
Questions
Although the elevated flyover project is still in its infancy with no plan as yet, the proposal itself has raised many questions. For instance, the flyover would have to be quite high at the spots where it crosses the Windsor Manor bridge and the overpasses. Experts have estimated that the structure’s height should be close to 50 ft at these spots.
To build a flyover of that height, the funds required would be nothing less than Rs 800 crore, as one BBMP official estimated. “Under normal circumstances, the project would have cost around Rs 80 crore per kilometre. But because this flyover would be quite high at many places, the project cost would easily touch around Rs 800 crores,” explained a senior engineer in the Palike.
Experts’ criticism
Outrightly rejecting the proposal as a farcical idea, traffic expert and advisor to the Government, M N Sreehari sarcastically commented that the city planners ought to be given a Nobel Prize for coming out with such concepts.
His loaded question: Why this project, when the Government of India is providing Rs 654 crore to widen the existing road making it four-lane in each direction along with service roads. “What is the need for such a project when already a high speed rail link is also coming up,” wondered aloud Sreehari.
Highlights
1. Elevated corridor
(flyover) from Balabrooie to Hebbal.
2. A stretch spread in an area of 7.5 km.
3. Palike assigns job to the BDA.
4. Project may cost around Rs 800 crore.
5. Fate of the grade sepa- rators at BDA junction and Cauvery Theatre junction not known.
Points to ponder
1. Utility of the whirling junction near the CM’s house on Bellary Road
2. What would happen to the overpass at BDA junction?
3. Impact on the underpass at Cauvery junction?
4. Does the BBMP have space to build the corridor?
5. Is the project meant only for serving the air-travellers?
6. Is the BBMP aware that a high speed rail corridor is coming up on this stretch?
The series on the projects worth Rs. 2,000 crore proposed by BBMP continues, with Deccan Herald taking a look at the proposed elevated flyover on Bellary road. With four structures already in place on the stretch from High Grounds to Hebbal flyover, the new proposal raises a lot of questions.
Deccan Herald goes to the spot and experts to find some answers and suggestions. Send your responses to dhreporting@gmail.com
Voices
Ashoka, businessman: This Bellary road stretch is strangely designed from Windsor Manor to Cauvery Junction. Some solution is required, but I am doubtful whether this proposed elevated corridor of 7.5 km would serve the purpose.
Paramananda, private firm employee: I am not a frequent user of this road. But still, I am sceptical about the feesiblity of this corridor. I think road widening would be better.
It would save a lot of money.
Land from Palace Grounds
Bangalore: For the last several years, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been persuading the scion of Mysore royal family, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar and his family to give up some land from the sprawling Palace Grounds for road-widening.
Until recently, the Palike’s efforts proved futile. But now, it is learnt from BBMP sources that an area of six acres and 21 guntas of land might be available for the road project provided the Wadiyar family wins the case related to the land.
The Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) is expected to come into play in this case as well, the sources said.
Besides Wadiyar, other stake-holders in the property are Meenakshi Devi, Kamakshi Devi, Vishalakshi Devi, Sirdar Ramachandraraja Urs and Indrakshi Devi. With the additional land--expected to come its way depending on the ongoing litigation--, BBMP has proposed to build a 45 metre wide road from BDA junction to Mekhri Circle.
A BBMP officer said, had this area been given earlier, the two grade separators at BDA junction and Cauvery junction could have been avoided.
Feedback
Many owners of residential buildings and shopkeepers will be put to hardship if their properties are demolished for road-widening. All these days, many trees were being chopped for the BMRCL project. Now, it is the turn of BBMP. I don’t understand in what way are these organisations helping the City’s cause.
R Prahlada Rao,
Kurubarahalli
Instead of widening the roads, the authorities should improve the condition of the existing roads so that the traffic flow uninterupted. Just a week back, some parts of Kamaraj road and Sivanchetty Garden road were repaired and drains were cleaned. The roads were also asphalted. Three days ago, BSNL has dug up the newly tarred roads.
Why do the concerned authorities waste public money like this. Who is responsible for this type of wastage.
GS Govindraj, a reader
The City Corporation should appoint good town planners to approve city projects such as building bus stations, commercial complexes, multiplexes etc which do not put pressure on roads.
Sagar, a reader