Traffic congestion continues to plague daily commuters near the infamous Jalahalli junction. Despite the initial proposal five years ago, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is yet to commence construction of an underpass at the junction.
BBMP sources said the delay is due to the substantial financial burden of property acquisition. "None of the property owners agreed to a Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificate, resulting in the property acquisition cost skyrocketing to Rs 139 crore, while the project cost is only Rs 57 crore," explained a senior BBMP official. The funds for property acquisition were released in installments, further contributing to the project's delay.
Of the 39 properties required for the project, the BBMP has successfully acquired 34 of them and is currently in the process of acquiring the remaining five.
Another senior official attributed the delay to the elections and the model code of conduct. "We were instructed to halt all projects. Delays like these are common when elections are imminent and the government undergoes changes," the official said.
The project was initially proposed in 2018 and tendered out in 2019. In October 2021, the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai laid the foundation stone for the project.
Daily commuters insist that the underpass is long overdue, as the chaos at the junction worsens each day.
"During peak hours, the junction is hazardous due to the high volume of people travelling to the Peenya Industrial Area. Numerous accidents have occurred, and an underpass would greatly alleviate the traffic congestion at the junction," said Subhash Shetty, a resident of Nagasandra.
Commuters also complain about the heavy congestion in the area during peak hours, with a three-kilometer distance between Nagasandra and Peenya taking nearly half an hour to cover.