Flyover work has increased the problems of the people

 Increase in traffic on Mysore Road, daily hardship for citizens, engineers who do not solve the problem

Flyover work has increased the problems of the people

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: The flyover work that has been started to reduce traffic congestion and facilitate traffic on Mysore Road has not been completed even after years, and has only increased traffic congestion.

It has been four and a half years since the grade separator work began on the Outer Ring Road near the Mysore Road-Nice Junction. The grade separator work, which will allow signal-free traffic on the Outer Ring Road and free traffic towards Hosakerehalli Kodi Road and Girinagar, began in August 2020 and was supposed to be completed in 15 months. The work is still a year away.

The ‘Hosakerehalli Kerekodi Road Junction Grade Separator’ work, which has been started under the Chief Minister’s New Urban Development Grant, is being carried out by PJP Engineers. The grade separator work at the Hosakerehalli Kerekodi Road Junction, which is adjacent to the Nice Link Road, has resulted in no road connectivity to the surrounding areas. Residents of Hosakerehalli, Bangarappanagar, Mookambikenagar, Pramod Layout, Girinagar, Ganapathinagar, and Avalahalli areas have to travel half a kilometer on a one-way road around the barrier built around the grade separator work area, take a U-turn, and then travel another half kilometer.

‘The width of the remaining road has reduced due to the grade separator work, resulting in a situation where people have to wait for more than half an hour in the morning and evening. School vehicles, parents dropping their children to school, and office goers have to wait here due to the chaos, and there is a delay in reaching the specified destination,” complained locals Gopalrao, Jagadish, and Manjula.

Rusty Pillar: The ‘Signal Free Rotary’ work for signal-free traffic on Mysore Road and Rajarajeshwari Nagar began in July 2022. However, the work was stopped after the construction of four or five pillars. The work has not continued after the assembly elections. 

The pillars built years ago have rusted due to the stoppage of the ‘Signal Free Rotary’ work. The barrier wall has been removed indiscriminately, leaving the remaining road in a pothole and dusty. Since the green signal is given to vehicles plying on Mysore Road for a long time, those coming from Rajarajeshwari Nagar and those going towards Rajarajeshwari Nagar from Gnanabharathi have to stand in the air pollution and dust for a long time.

‘The ‘Signal Free Rotary’ work was supposed to be done for the convenience of the citizens. However, the work has been stalled for two years, which has only increased the inconvenience to the people. If you ask the engineers about this, they point their fingers at the people’s representatives. They do not have the patience to listen to the problems of the common people,’ complained Ramachandra of Halagevaderahalli.

‘Hosakerehalli Kerekodi Road Junction Grade Separator’

• ₹30 crore; Grade Separator Cost
• August 7, 2020; Work Order to Contractor
• 15 months; Deadline given for completion of work

Rajarajeshwari Nagar ‘Signal Free Rotary’

• ₹80 crore; Total cost of the project
• 1 July 2022; Date of issue of work order
• 24 months; Deadline given for completion of work
• Contractors; KBR Infratech, Sahakarinagar

DCM lashes out at Prahlad!

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed his displeasure at a meeting of officials held on Tuesday over the delay in many works including the flyover in the BBMP area. Taking a dig at Principal Engineer B.S. Prahlad, who is responsible for the management of major works including the flyover, grade separator, white topping works, the DCM said, ‘Prahlad has increased work pressure. He also has many projects. Sources said that Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath was instructed to hand over the projects to someone else.

B.S. Prahlad did not respond when contacted for comment on the delay in the Hosakerehalli and Rajarajeshwari Nagar flyover works. Prahlad, who also holds the post of Chief Engineer of the Infrastructure Department, is responsible for seven flyover works that have been going on in the city for the past four to five years.