BDA promises to complete flyover work by new deadlines

The Bangalore Development Authority has put up a board at the Bannergatta Road grade separator site announcing the deadline for completing the project. The authority has ushered in a new work culture by making public the deadline for completing infra structure projects in the city.

BDA confident of meeting deadline
The Hindu

BANGALORE, OCT. 17. The State Government, apparently peeved and upset by the frequent threats held out by the Information Technology sector on the poor infrastructure in Bangalore, has got into top gear to improve roads and speed up the pace of work on flyovers and underpasses.

A high-level discussion was held recently with the Uttar Pradesh State Bridges Corporation, which has undertaken the construction of several flyovers. At least two flyovers and underpasses will be ready in two months.

The Bangalore Dairy Circle underpass will be opened for traffic on November 14 to coincide with the Children's Day and the underpass on Bannerghatta Road near the Jayadeva Institute will be commissioned on December 15.

Cost escalation

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav, had written to the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, over the escalation in the cost of steel and the difficulties being faced by the Uttar Pradesh State Bridges' Corporation in executing the flyovers in Bangalore. He had urged the Chief Minister to agree to a revision in the project cost.

After a series of consultations and discussions, the State Government decided to yield to the request and simultaneously imposed certain conditions pertaining to the construction of the underpasses and the flyovers.

The Managing Director of the Uttar Pradesh State Bridges' Corporation, K.K. Mittal, was in Bangalore recently and held several rounds of discussions with the Commissioner of the Bangalore Development Authority, M.N. Vidyashankar. Thereafter, senior officials of the Urban Development Department and the Chief Minister agreed to the revision.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has now put up display boards near all flyovers specifying the date on which the flyovers and the underpasses will be commissioned.

Asked whether the flyovers and underpasses will be ready as specified, Mr. Vidyashankar expressed confidence that the underpasses will be commissioned as scheduled. "The BDA stood by the deadline fixed for the inauguration of the Dairy Circle flyover (November 14). It is an open commitment to the people and the BDA will stand by the commitment. It is a new work culture and discipline that we are evolving," he said. The people in southern parts of Bangalore have been put to hardship following the construction of several flyovers and underpasses.

The incessant rains have added to the misery.

Round-the-clock work

Mr. Vidyashankar said the work on the Bangalore Dairy Circle underpass and the Jayadeva Institute underpass and flyover was going on round-the-clock. The shifting of most of water supply and sewage lines and electricity cables has been completed. Similarly, work on the Airport Road flyover will be stepped up in a fortnight. The work, which was going on in two shifts, will be round the clock.

The BDA has put up a display board near the Ananda Rao Circle flyover that the work will be completed on August 28, 2005. Work on this flyover will be commenced about a month ago.