Outer Ring Road runs into problems

Ringed by problems ORR on bumpy track

While the ground realities are different, BDA has declared the Rs 182 cr ORR project as being ‘successfully completed’

BY P M RAGHUNANDAN
DH NEWS SERVICE, BANGALORE:

It is almost one and half years since the much-hyped Outer Ring Road was inaugurated by then Chief Minister S M Krishna. But even to this day, the Rs 182 crore project undertaken by the BDA remains incomplete.

But for constructing 62 kms of the main road (ring road), the axillary works connected with the project - laying of 104 kms of service road, construction of retaining walls and footpath - have turned out to be non-starters. As a result, thousands of people living beside the ring road are forced to live under the shadow of death.

With service roads virtually not motorable, two-wheeler riders have to jostle for space along with heavy transport vehicles which move at great speed on the ring road. Moreover, as trucks are usually parked on the ring road in areas like Ramamurthy Nagar, Airport Road, Koramangala, BTM Layout and others, motorists take a bumpy ride on land reserved for the service road.

In fact, the ring road was aimed at easing traffic congestion inside the City by diverting movement of heavy vehicles, especially those from National and State Highways.

But due to non-completion of the project, the road has turned out to be a virtual nightmare for citizens.

As per the plan, BDA was supposed to lay nearly 104 km of service road on either side of the main ring road for the safe movement of residents and BMTC buses.

“Though the land required for the road, including footpath and construction of retaining walls, has by and large been acquired, formation of service roads are kept pending due to lack of funds.

It is estimated to cost around Rs 15 crore even to asphalt the 104 km stretch,” BDA sources told Deccan Herald.

In areas like Nandini Layout, Laggere, HSR Layout and others, BDA is facing stiff resistance from residents on acquiring private land.

“While BDA is eyeing on our land, it has deliberately ignored those belonging to influential people. So, we have refused to hand over our plots until BDA takes over those belonging to the influential,” residents of Nandini Layout IV stage said.

However, what is intriguing is that BDA has declared that the Rs 182 crore project has been ‘successfully completed’. The Authority, in its annual report for 2003-04 has stated that the project, which is languishing for over a decade, has been dedicated to the public within a span of eight months.

When contacted, BDA Commissioner M N Vidyashankar said, the process to call tender for service road laying was on and work would be taken up soon. “Service road is proposed to be formed at places wherever residential layouts have fully developed. So, the project has been delayed,” he maintained.

ROAD MAP

Total length: 62 km

Total cost: Rs 182 cr

Links major highways: Mysore Road, Magadi Road, Tumkur Road, Bellary Road, Hennur Road, Old Madras Road, Varthur Road, Sarjapur Road, Hosur Road, Bannerghatta Road and Kanakapura Road



Bangalore is choking. Congestion on roads is on the rise. Bangalore Development Authority conceived the Outer Ring Road (ORR) project a decade ago to check the flow of heavy vehicle traffic from National and State highways into the heart of the City. The ORR has surely helped motorists but it has turned into a nightmare for people in the areas adjoining the road. Deccan Herald will present reports highlighting the problems being faced by the residents in the project.