BMP panel revises plans for widening roads

BMP panel revises plans for widening roads
Deccan Herald

The Town Planning and Development Standing Committee of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has recommended to the BMP Council to revise its plans for large-scale widening of the roads in the City’s old areas

The Town Planning and Development Standing Committee of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has recommended to the BMP Council to revise its plans for large-scale widening of the roads in the City’s old areas like Avenue Road, Cottonpet, B V K Iyengar Road and OTC Road.

An official release on Tuesday stated that the Committee had stressed the need for dropping the plans to build 80-feet roads in these areas which have narrow roads with a width of 20 to 25 feet. Instead, these narrow roads should be widened only by about 20 feet (10 feet on either side of the road), the committee said.

The plans for large-scale widening of roads would affect residents and shopkeepers in these areas, a majority of whom belong to the backward classes.

Besides, it would lead to losing of some of the historical monuments located on either side of the road like -- Anjaneya temple near KR Market, Rice Memorial Church, Mastaansaab Dargah, Tippu Sultan Fort, Gavigangadhareshwara Temple and Chicklalbagh, the committee observed.

Enlarging stretches

The committee also recommended inclusion of new stretches of roads in the list of 80 roads which have already been identified for widening. They include Sudhamanagar I Main Road from Lalbagh Road to 2nd Cross of Sudhamanagar; Siddaiah Road from Urvashi Circle to K H Road; Dinnur Main Road from Bellary Road to Dr Ambedkar Road; Hosakerehally Main Road from Ring Road to Kalidasnagar; Okalipuram Main Road from RR Chaultry to Yeshwanthpur; and J C Road from Minerva Circle to Town Hall Junction.

The committee recommended that priority should be given to widening of the above roads.