Controversy brewing over widening Avenue Road

Controversy brewing over widening Avenue Road

The Hindu

The narrow road may be widened by 10 feet to save heritage structures


BANGALORE: Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) officials are determined to go ahead with the controversial road widening project using "transferable development rights" (TDR) on Avenue Road despite opposition from the traders.

The Standing Committee on Town Planning and Works in the BMP Council has decided to come to the rescue of traders. It has resolved to reduce the widening of the road from the proposed 20 feet to 10 feet.

The logic is to save ancient places of worship and other buildings of historical importance in old areas.

According to the resolution, the committee has received several representations from traders to protect old buildings such as the Anjaneyaswamy Temple near the Sri Krishna Rajendra (SKR) market, the Rice Memorial Church on Avenue Road, the Venkataswamy Temple on Kempe Gowda Road, the Tawakkal Mastan Sab Dargah in Balepet, the Tipu Sultan Fort on K.R. Road, Chikkalalbagh on Tank Bund Road and the Central Muslim Association building on Arcot Srinivasachar Street.

"Though it had been decided to widen old Bangalore areas such as Aralupet, Avenue Road, OTC Road, Balepet, BVK Iyengar Road, Arcot Srinivasachar Street and Goodshed Road by 20 feet on either side, we have decided to recommend widening by only 10 feet so that these monuments can be protected," the Committee Chairman, T.V. Prabhu, told The Hindu.

The committee's resolution can become a decision only if the BMP Council approves it. The issue is likely to come up in this month's meeting, Mr. Prabhu said.

Traders firm

But the members of the Avenue Road Commercial Association, who have been opposing the road-widening proposal from the beginning, are firm on their demand.

"The expenditure will be the same whether it is widened by 10 feet or 20 feet.

"Although the taxpayers' money will be used, it will be of no use to the public.

"We do not know what difference will it make if the road is widened by 10 feet or not widened at all," the association convenor, B.N. Rajashekar, said.

"Instead of widening the roads in old Bangalore, we feel it will be appropriate if the footpaths are brought down to the road-level. Whether the road is widened by 10 feet or 20 feet, the foundation of all the buildings on these roads will be affected," he said.

The officials are determined to go ahead with the project.

"In the first phase, we have started work on Hosur Road and Palace Road using TDR and we have got a good response.

"Avenue Road will be taken up for widening," the BMP Additional Commissioner (Finance), P.K. Sreehari, who is the incharge Engineer-in-Chief, said.

He said several organisations and landowners have come forward to surrender their land for widening.

These include the National Diary Research Institute on Hosur Road, the Maharani's College, the Corps of Detectives (CoD), and the Drugs Controller of Karnataka on Palace Road, he added.