Sidewalk work to be completed soon

Sidewalk work to be completed soon
The KLACL will resume and complete the remaining work on sidewalks in the city
The Times of India


After a year's break, the Karnataka Land Army Corporation Ltd (KLACL) has its hands back on the sidewalks project of the Bangalore City Corporation (BCC). The council, which had refused to allow the KLACL to carry out the project, alleging substandard work, has decided to hand it back to KLACL.

Says S V Venkatesh Murthy, Joint Director, KLACL (BCC Division), recalling the issue, "the quality aspect will be given much emphasis in all our projects. While preparing the sub-grade and to tackle any undulation, 4-5 inches of mud and gravel has been laid to level it, and then proper compaction by the machine is done. Then interlocking cobble blocks are laid and pressed using a German machine that ensures proper compaction. All the materials used here are tendered and machine-made. These materials are tested and even test reports are given to us. We have also provided shoulder drains along the existing drains. The water won't run on the asphalted roads thereby increasing the life of the roads. We went on saying these footpaths would last at least 20 to 25 years and later we were in a state of shock when we saw reports of BCC dumping us. But we were sure of our work and now we are getting it back".

It may be recalled here that sidewalks were literally absent in the city, and got a mention in only the 2003 BCC budget. Later in the year the BCC cleared all the decks and entrusted the KLACL with the work of laying sidewalks for about 79 km of roads (total 160 km taking into account both sides) at a cost of Rs 35.60 crores. A city-based private engineering consultant hired by the BCC oversaw the project and the materials used were tested. When the KLACL started the work, the BCC realised that private contractors, part of the improvement of junction works, were also doing sidewalks works. Later, they were stopped by the BCC and KLACL went on to complete sidewalks works on 33 roads covering a distance of 64.50 km at a cost of Rs 25 crores. The KLACL was asked to lay ducts (PVC pipes) beneath the footpaths so that no footpaths would be cut or excavated to lay cables in the future. The roads that were covered under the project were, Commercial Street, Brigade Road, Cunningham Road, Infantry Road, Residency Road to K H Road, St Mark's Road, Central Street, Mekhri Circle to Airport, Hudson Circle to Cantonment Railway Station, Basaveshwara Circle to Kodava Samaja, Palace Road, High Ground Police Station to Palace Cross over bridge, M V Jairam Road upto Kodava Samaja, Jaynagar 11th main to South End Circle, SBM to Cantonment Railway Station, City Railway Station to Pallavi Theatre, City Railway Station-Seshadri Road-Nrupathunga Road-Hudson Circle, Hosur Road to Old RBI, Bull Temple Road, Kanakapura Road, Seshadri Circle to K G Circle, Madhavan Park, Anebande Road, Subbaiah Circle to Lalbagh, and Yediyur Lake.
The five roads that were left out of sidewalks works are, Jayanagar 9th Main Road, City Railway Station to K G Road, City Railway Station to M G Road, Margosa Road and Malleswaram 8th Main. Murthy said, "the BCC council on June 27 cleared the proposal to complete the project at an estimated cost of Rs 9.30 crores including Rs 4.43 crores already spent for procuring cobble blocks. Soon we will start the work and complete the project".

Subway
The KLACL is carrying out another BCC project - a pedestrian subway at Sujatha Theatre in Rajajinagar at a cost of Rs 63 lakhs. The four metre wide and 32 metre long tunnel subway will allow people to cross Rajajinagar Entrance between SJR College and Sujatha Theater. While work on the SJR College side is over, the tunnel's entrance from the Sujatha Theatre side is pending due to shifting of utility lines. The project is expected to be complete in a month's time.