Mysore Road flyover to open by Sept-end

The bad news is the ongoing road-widening work will take another year to complete

There's some good news and some bad news for commuters using the Mysore Road.The good news first: Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is opening for traffic one of the two levels of the flyover coming up at Nayandahalli junction by this month-end,which will ease traffic congestion on the stretch to some extent.Now for the bad news: The road-widening project,started two years ago and expected to be ready by November-end,will require another year to complete.The project,started with an estimated expenditure of Rs 5 crore,has already cost the exchequer Rs 9.5 crore.

 

 

Travelling on Mysore Road is a nightmare these days due to a number of potholes and lack of street lights,causing accidents almost every day.

Former mayor Sharadamma and her deputy S Harish had inspected the widening work many times.The current mayor,D Venkatesh Murthy,and Major Roads Infrastructure standing committee chairman Sridhar Reddy have also inspected the work a few times in the past five months,but there has hardly has been any progress.

The BBMP got a rude shock in June when it found that Cos Consultancy,which had been monitoring the work,didnt have a laboratory in Bangalore.Hence,the Rs 22 lakh paid to the company for road quality maintenance went down the drain.

Chief engineer of BBMPs major road infrastructure wing,Somashekhar,said,We have been reviewing the project on a regular basis.According to the agreement between the BBMP and the contractor,the project should be completed by this November,but the progress is very slow.Soon we will issue a notice to the contractor,terminating the contract.Then,we will either invite fresh tenders for the pending work or we will make use of 4G exemption for works which are urgent in nature.

MORE HURDLES

He added,There are more hurdles for execution of the project.The cable ducts of BSNL,Bescom and other utility services have to be removed.Bescom is yet to shift the electric poles for which payment has already been made.We have to acquire around 25 properties on the stretch towards Gali Anjaneya Temple and we have asked owners to make use of TDR (Transferable Development Rights).It is difficult for us to acquire properties as we cant forcibly evict them.Options are being considered for settlement.

On Friday,the mayor along with deputy mayor L Srinivas inspected the project site and was not satisfied with the progress of the works.He has asked officials to complete the work on war-footing.

The work is being executed at a snails pace.I have asked officials to cancel the deal with the current contractor and ask a new contractor to execute it.

Meanwhile,BDA's construction of level one of the two-level flyover at Nayandahalli junction is nearing completion though the work has dragged on for almost three years.The flyover was expected to be completed by March 2012.

SIGNAL-FREE JUNCTION

The two-level flyover will be the first of its kind in the city and will make the junction signal-free.BDA's engineering member T N Chikkarayappa said,The first level of the flyover will be completed by this month.It will considerably ease traffic congestion at the junction.Motorists from Banashankari direction can use this level to head towards Nagarbhavi.The other level of the flyover will be completed in the next six months.