Mobile flyovers planned in Hi-tech City

Mobile flyovers planned in Hi-tech City
These first-ever flyovers could set a trend in the city,

The Times of India

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has planned two mobile flyovers, the firstever in the country in the proposed 1,230 acres Hitech City and Corridor project. As part of this project the BDA will be developing an express highway of 8.5 km length and 460 metres wide that connects the Airport Road and Electronics City.

The BDA Commissioner M N Vidyashankar said: "We have finalised the concept plan for the proposed Hi-tech City and Corridor project after several rounds of discussions with the government and shortly we will float the tenders and subsequently Phase I work on the project will begin".

This project that aims at catering to the knowledge industry's requirements of commercial space comes as a good opportunity to launch the mobile flyover concept in the city. While traditional flyovers take considerable time and disrupt traffic flow, mobile flyovers can be erected in hardly any time. Sometimes, they take as less as one-tenth the time of conventional flyovers.

If the proposal to set up two of them in this corridor comes through as planned, more will certainly be on the anvil. The city could do with flyovers that take little time to put up. Speaking on the two mobile flyovers, Vidyashankar said, "the express highway will be a sixlane bi-directional corridor that would cost us Rs 138 crores and will include two mobile flyovers across two lakes – Kaikondanahalli small and big lakes. The length of the bigger mobile flyover will be 805 metres and the smaller one will be 350 metres". He stressed on the need for mobile flyovers to ensure a smooth traffic flow on this sector that will see a large number of cars once the project is in place.

The lakes are on the stretch between Iblur junction and Sarjapur Road. While it is not yet clear just how many vehicles would pass over them in peak hours, the flyovers will be capable of bearing any load. They will set the trend for future infrastructure projects of similar kinds where timeframes are crucial. They will also come in handy to clear bottlenecks along the road to the proposed international airport on the other end of the city. In the heart of the city too, these flyovers can solve the problems at major junctions that are facing regular jams due to the cascading effect of traffic flowing in from the completed flyovers along the route. These flyovers can help reduce stress at crucial junctions easily and without too much disruption. Shifting of utility lines too will not be required to the extent as in the case of conventional flyovers.

In this city that is technology-led, mobile flyovers fit in naturally. Will Bangalore also be known for its 'instant flyovers'? The Hi-tech City mobiles hold the answer.

The concept at a glance…

Inside Hi-tech City
Some highlights of this project that is on the anvil

The proposed Hi-tech City and Corridor Road planned to provide land for the knowledge industry is situated in the East and South taluks of Bangalore as well as in Anekal that will cost the BDA around Rs 490 crores and will be taken up in phases
The project area is located 14 km from the city center
Speculators are to be dis-incentivised and only end users will be encouraged. The method of selection will be through a bidding process. It is expected that large industry players will bid
It is proposed that the land use be restricted to technology industry, and the type of building restricted to a pre-defined style. The vision is to create guided development for the first time in the city. It will require policy amendments
The land will be sold in plots of 10, 15 and 25 acres up to a maximum of 100 acres
It is proposed to provide an approach road from Outer Ring Road at the Belandur junction to the Electronics City. This road will be developed as a corridor of 8.5 km to enable better connectivity
Encroachments on the road's setbacks from the corridor will be dissuaded by the provision of a green strip. A service road will run on either side of the corridor