8-laner to ease traffic at Okalipuram

Cabinet okays long-delayed Rs 115-crore project

The State Cabinet on Tuesday approved the long-delayed project to ease traffic congestion at Okalipuram near Majestic. The Rs 115-crore project entails construction of a eight-lane corridor connecting Okalipuram junction with Khoday Circle (also Fountain Circle), thus making the Bhashyam Circle-K R Circle stretch signal free. In addition, the Railways will construct a road underbridge on the stretch connecting Okalipuram with Malleswaram, Law Minister S Suresh Kumar told reporters. According to the plan, the 6.60-km long corridor will have service roads on either side. An 18-month deadline has been fixed for the project. As much as 12,818 sq metres of Railway land and 251 sq metres of private land will be acquired for the project.

Tender process

The Palike council has already approved the project and pre-qualification tender process has been already initiated. The work will commence very soon, the minister said. Of the Rs 115 crore, Rs 57.50 crore is meant for the corridor, Rs 28 crore for deposit with the Railways for constructing the road under bridge, Rs 20 crore will be deposited with Bescom and BWSSB for utility shifting and Rs seven crore will be spent on service roads. Okalipuram area, which has two railway bridges at close distance, is one of the major traffic bottlenecks in the City. Residents of Rajajinagar, Basaveshwaranagar and Vijayanagar have been finding it tough to reach Majestic and areas beyond it. Though the BBMP had planned the project about six years ago, the State Government had sat on it since then. The major hurdle was taking over land belonging to Railways. “The Government has recently entered into an agreement with the Railways which will be given alternative land,” Suresh Kumar said. The Cabinet also approved Rs 1,564-crore plan of the BBMP to develop infrastructure facilities like roads in the newly-added areas. Under the plan, the BBMP wants to raise Rs 860 crore from various commercial banks. The Cabinet has allowed the Palike to raise Rs 200 crore as the first installment, Suresh Kumar said.

*A 6.60-km eight-lane corridor between Okalipuram junction and Khoday circle

*12,818 sq metres of Railway land and 251 sq metres of private land required for the project

*18-month deadline set for the work