Now, Peripheral Ring Road has a 'concrete' plan

The white-topping of city roads may now extend to the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) as well, notwithstanding the brewing criticism.

The state government, while concretising as many roads as possible in the city, is now working on the possibility of concretising the PRR too. The idea is being pursued even after it is quite clear that the cost of the project will escalate.

Since the road will be laid afresh, the cost incurred will be lesser in comparison to the tarred roads, argued the Urban Development Department (UDD) officials.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had earlier estimated that the PRR will cost Rs 4,000 crore, out of the total project cost of Rs 10,176 crore.

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“If the road is concretised, the cost will escalate by 25%. This can be managed since the state government has agreed to fund the project; Rs 10,000 crore will be allocated in the first phase,” a UDD source told DH.

The government officials are hoping that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will understand the need to concretise the road, and would agree on the same. JICA plays a crucial role as the agency has agreed to fund the construction of the PRR.

BDA officials are also open to the idea. “If the government wants, it can be done. Though the construction costs will increase, the maintenance costs will come down.

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The life of the road will increase by 10 years. Normally, asphalted roads need maintenance once in 5 to 6 years. Concrete roads will also address the ever-increasing Passenger Car per Unit (PCU) ratio,” said BDA engineer, B S Shivakumar.

The idea of concretising the PRR has come to the government as the existing Bengaluru-Mysuru infrastructure corridor (Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Road) is a concrete road. The government seems keen to maintain continuity.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is white-topping 94.4 km of the city’s roads in the first phase, out of which around 9 km is now completed. In the second phase, the BBMP will take up another 44 km. According to the BBMP’s records, white-topping a road costs Rs 10.44 crore per km.

BDA and UDD officials do not object to concretising the PRR, as the road will have tolls. The BDA estimates Rs 17,313 crore in 12 years from toll revenue. According to the BDA, the road will be constructed as per the National Highway Authority of India standards instead of the Public Works Department standards.

Also read:

Bengaluru peripheral ring road plan revived

Govt to lend Rs 10k cr for PRR project till 2021

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