The 20-month-old bridge even has shrubs growing out of the gaps.Shoddy dividers make the drive a nightmare for motorists
The railway overbridge at Kadugodi junction in Whitefield was to have been completed in 15 months but it took almost four years.One would have expected that extra time to have been translated into better quality.But motorists travelling on the 640-metre bridge have a different story.In about 20 months since its opening in July 2010,the bridge is cracking at places and even has shrubs growing on it.
When South Western Railways began the project in November 2006,there was excitement for many reasons.It not only promised to cut down the commute to BIA by almost 20 km but also provided thousands of techies easier access to ITPL.
Another reason for the hoopla was the fact that it was going to be an engineering feat - 200 tonnes of specialised steel was being used to construct 42 metres of the bridge going over six electrified railway tracks,making it the longest steel girder in the country.
Thats one reason why the process took so long and also why it took almost two years before the safety clearance was through.
Despite that,quality seems to have suffered.When the stretch opened,there were a lot of accidents because there was no divider.Now the divider has become a problem because it is not a permanent structure.The stones are laid haphazardly and move even with the slightest nudge from vehicles.These dislodged stones then become a problem for other commuters.As if that is not enough,the shoddy patchwork on the potholes and the joints on the flyover are already in a shambles.It is a pain to drive on it, says Vinay Rao,who uses the stretch to drive to Hoskote every day.
Even if one blames the shoddy bitumen on the dense vehicular density (the estimated passenger car unit is about 7,000),motorists are at a loss when it comes to the cracks and shrubs appearing on the structure.
Velmani K,another techie who travels from Kadugodi to ITPL,says,The pedestrian underpass near the Sathya Sai Baba Ashram has gaping cracks,with shrubs sprouting from one of them.Who does these quality checks
ASK RAILWAYS,SAYS BBMP
When we contacted BBMP over the shoddy job,they were quick to point out that the density of traffic means the road keeps coming up for repair.
But the major issues with the construction are not our fault because it was the Railways that built the bridge.A two-year-old structure ideally should not start showing cracks.But the Railways are the only ones who can answer the question about quality, said a senior engineer with the BBMP.The engineering arm of the Railways remained tight-lipped over the matter.
When S Mani,DRM,was contacted,he first denied there were any cracks,but he,however,said he would look into the matter.
Traffic police say they have a real problem on their hands during peak hours.The stretch that falls under Whitefield police station limits has to be often manned by cops.The divider certainly causes problems during peak hours, said subinspector Dharmappa.
The poorly laid divider on the railway overbridge
A shrub grows out of a crack;(right) another crack in the retaining wall
The railway overbridge at Kadugodi junction in Whitefield was to have been completed in 15 months but it took almost four years.One would have expected that extra time to have been translated into better quality.But motorists travelling on the 640-metre bridge have a different story.In about 20 months since its opening in July 2010,the bridge is cracking at places and even has shrubs growing on it.
When South Western Railways began the project in November 2006,there was excitement for many reasons.It not only promised to cut down the commute to BIA by almost 20 km but also provided thousands of techies easier access to ITPL.
Another reason for the hoopla was the fact that it was going to be an engineering feat - 200 tonnes of specialised steel was being used to construct 42 metres of the bridge going over six electrified railway tracks,making it the longest steel girder in the country.
Thats one reason why the process took so long and also why it took almost two years before the safety clearance was through.
Despite that,quality seems to have suffered.When the stretch opened,there were a lot of accidents because there was no divider.Now the divider has become a problem because it is not a permanent structure.The stones are laid haphazardly and move even with the slightest nudge from vehicles.These dislodged stones then become a problem for other commuters.As if that is not enough,the shoddy patchwork on the potholes and the joints on the flyover are already in a shambles.It is a pain to drive on it, says Vinay Rao,who uses the stretch to drive to Hoskote every day.
Even if one blames the shoddy bitumen on the dense vehicular density (the estimated passenger car unit is about 7,000),motorists are at a loss when it comes to the cracks and shrubs appearing on the structure.
Velmani K,another techie who travels from Kadugodi to ITPL,says,The pedestrian underpass near the Sathya Sai Baba Ashram has gaping cracks,with shrubs sprouting from one of them.Who does these quality checks
ASK RAILWAYS,SAYS BBMP
When we contacted BBMP over the shoddy job,they were quick to point out that the density of traffic means the road keeps coming up for repair.
But the major issues with the construction are not our fault because it was the Railways that built the bridge.A two-year-old structure ideally should not start showing cracks.But the Railways are the only ones who can answer the question about quality, said a senior engineer with the BBMP.The engineering arm of the Railways remained tight-lipped over the matter.
When S Mani,DRM,was contacted,he first denied there were any cracks,but he,however,said he would look into the matter.
Traffic police say they have a real problem on their hands during peak hours.The stretch that falls under Whitefield police station limits has to be often manned by cops.The divider certainly causes problems during peak hours, said subinspector Dharmappa.
The poorly laid divider on the railway overbridge
A shrub grows out of a crack;(right) another crack in the retaining wall
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