ELRTS move made flyovers go haywire

ELRTS move made flyovers go haywire
The Times of India

Bangalore: The much-hyped Elevated Light Rail Transit System (ELRTS) never came through, but it certainly had its "presence'' felt on other projects. So much so that the designs of flyovers and underpasses in the city had to be changed in the last moment to accommodate this "elusive'' project.

According to official sources, it all started with the proposed flyover at Mehkri circle conceptualised by BCC in the late 1990s. The flyover was planned at the chaotic circle connecting Ramanamaharshi Road and Bellary Road at a cost of Rs 21 crore. But the BMRTL raised objections over the project stating that one of the ELRTS stations was planned on the same stretch. Hence the flyover was shelved and an underpass was constructed.

The next project was Richmond Circle flyover. Thanks to ELRTS, the flyover's design had to be changed twice. When the beams were almost being erected to build the descending ramp on Residency Road, BMRTL intervened to say that one of the piers for ELRTS station would clash with the ramp and asked BCC to alter the design.

The BCC, which had planned the ramp on one end of the road, had to shift the ramp to the middle of the road, sources explained.

The next on the hit list were seven flyovers mooted by KRDCL. Reason: The flyovers were planned along the ELRTS path. It was suggested that instead of flyovers, the authorities construct underpasses. "In fact, in one of the steering committee meetings, the BMRTL executive director asked the KRDCL to defer all the projects till government took decision on ELRTS,'' sources informed.

The targeted seven flyovers were: Airport Road-Ring Road intersection; Mysore Road-Chord Road intersection; Modi Hospital-Chord Road junction; Trinity circle; GPO intersection; Bannerghatta-ORR junction and South End circle.

However, the authorities mooted an alternative -- underpasses at Airport Road-Ring Road junction, Chord Road-Modi Hospital junction and a steel flyover at Mysore Road-Chord Road junction.

Subsequently, the projects got divided between BDA and BCC and the authorities found that the underpass at Airport Road junction was not feasible as the water bed was too high, which would flood the underpass. Hence, a flyover was planned.

INTER-MODAL RAIL

Amidst ELRTS, Metro Rail and monorail, there was also a talk about the internodal commuter rail. Conceived in 1989 at a cost of Rs 180 crore, the price had escalated to Rs 932 crore when it was taken up for consideration in 2000.

The inter-nodal commuter rail proposed by Indian Railways was aimed at having a mass urban transportation system. It had commissioned RITES to carry out a survey for commuter rail. However, while the project was gathering dust, the government evinced interest in 1999 and placed it before the planning commission . The RITES commenced a fresh survey and proposed to add one more line -- from Byappanahalli to Airport with 22 new stations in between all the five lines including stations at Kumarapark, Jeevanahalli, Hoodi, RPC Layout and at Indiranagar.

The first phase involved an investment of Rs 200 crore and the second phase Rs 400 crore. The project was evaluated both in terms of financial and economic returns and revenue was worked out on the basis of current railway fare structure.