The Shivanagar flyover on West of Chord Road, inaugurated by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, is expected to ease traffic flow between Tumakuru Road and Mysuru Road.
“West of Chord Road is one of the 12 high-density corridors. Considering this, an integrated flyover was essential. If it was a grade separator, as planned earlier, it would have allowed traffic on the main road to pass while commuters from the neighbourhood would suffer,” the Chief Minister, said while inaugurating the project on Monday.
The flyover is constructed at a cost of Rs 71.98 crore and has two 7.5-metre-wide two-lane road in each direction.
Project delayed by 18 months
Though work on the 655-metre stretch between Shivanagar 1st Main Road and Shivanagar 8th Main Road started in 2016, changes in the plan delayed the project, an official said.
“Initially, the BBMP had planned to construct an underpass and after 20 per cent of the work was completed, it was modified as a flyover owing to the growing demand by the people.
“This delayed the work by nearly 18 months,” said Rajajinagar MLA S Suresh Kumar, adding that the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the project further.
The BBMP officials are hoping that the flyover will save both time and fuel for the commuters while also reducing air pollution.
“Those travelling across the West of Chord Road will take the flyover and will be able to move seamlessly.
“This will avoid the traffic on the side lane and in turn, reduce the signal time for those who use the service lane,” explained M Lokesh, BBMP Chief Engineer (Projects).
Seamless connectivity
Bommai said the integrated flyover is crucial to seamlessly connect the Sandal Soap Factory and Chord Road junction that links Mysuru Road.
To facilitate seamless connection, he said the Basaveshwaranagar flyover will be tweaked to make it bidirectional.
“The Basaveshwaranagar flyover is unidirectional. I have directed the BBMP chief commissioner to submit a proposal (to make it bidirectional) at the earliest,” he said.