Traffic chokes at different places in the city

Traffic chokes at different places in the city
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: After the rains of the past few days, if the state of Bannerghatta Road after rains in the last few days is any indication, then it is an ominous sign for the residents once the actual monsoon sets in. The appalling condition of the road, which is under repair, is bound to create hazards for the motorists.

Although Public Works minister HD Revanna had promised to speed up the repair work, completion seems far away. “Repairs on all roads in and around the city that come under PWD will be completed by March 31,” Revanna had assured citizens.

The work is still unfinished, even though the deadline has lapsed.

Though half the road is smooth and well tarred, the other half is virtually unusable, with gaping potholes and ballast strewn all over.

Revanna had promised to improve the 4-km stretch from JP Nagar junction to Meenakshi Temple, in partnership with the private sector. Signboards on the divider at either end of the stretch proclaim the state government’s partnership with Mantri Developers to convert the road into four lanes.

But these improvements are conspicuous by their absence. From Meenakshi Temple to Hulimavu Gate, and at stretches beyond that, two-way traffic moves on only one side of the divider.

Even lorries and BMTC buses do not ply on the other half of the road, causing congestion. “Traffic jams are caused at every junction, especially at the Hulimavu Gate,” P Sheshadri, a resident said.

An engineer at the site said work was going on at a steady pace and would be completed soon. “The vehicles moving on only one carriageway are hampering (the repair) work,” he said.

On one stretch of the road, the divider has been removed to construct a new sleek one. The incomplete flyover work at the Jayadeva Circle has further thrown the traffic out of gear.

To go from the IIM-B side of Bannerghatta Road onto Ring Road, one has to take a bylane into BTM Layout. And to reach the other side of Bannerghatta Road towards Dairy Circle, one has to pass through a series of side lanes, as the flyover debris are strewn in the middle, blocking traffic.