Dairy Circle flyover inauguration causes chaos

The Hindu

The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, said today that the allotment of 20,000 sites in the Arkavathi Layout would begin as planned on January 15.

Inaugurating the flyover at the Dairy Circle, Mr. Singh said that he had instructed the Commissioner of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), M.N. Vidyashankar, to take steps to clear all the hurdles and form the sites and begin their allotment on schedule.

He said that the Government would not bow to any pressures that would put the project into jeopardy. Mr. Singh said his Government was preparing to allot another 50,000 sites to the people a year later.

New role for BDA

He said the Government was actively considering converting the BDA into a metropolitan authority with more powers to "coordinate" housing and water supply in the city. Such authorities were functioning in Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. The necessary laws would be amended, he added.

Mr. Singh appreciated the BDA, which had completed 29 per cent of the work on the flyover in 41 days. The work had stopped when the contractor — the Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation Limited — sought more money pointing out to the hike in the price of steel. Even the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, had written to him in this regard. But he had instructed the BDA to expeditiously complete the work first and this had been complied with.

He honoured the BDA authorities who had taken pains to finish the work fast.

The work on construction of the underpass (beneath the flyover) to provide for the traffic on the Bannerghatta Road would be completed in two months' time, Mr. Singh assured.

The other flyovers being constructed by the BDA — near Jayadeva hospital and on Airport Road — would be completed on February 15 and June 15, respectively.

The 535-metre Dairy Circle flyover has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 11.25 crores. It provides a two-way four-lane traffic to and from Lalbagh Road to Madivala Road. It has been designed for vehicles to move at 50 km per hour.

Traffic chaos mars opening
Times of India

Bangalore: The Dairy Circle flyover inauguration led to a massive traffic congestion which lasted over 45 minutes on Hosur Road. Among the worst hit was an ambulance from Shifa Hospital which was blaring the siren away along the Christ College Road towards Koramangala junction. Anxious two-wheeler riders took the footpath to race ahead as the road could take no more traffic.