More flights of fancy

Traffic task force plans inner core Ring road
Deccan Herald

A ‘fast track’ project for an inner core ring road bordering the central business district of Bangalore figures prominently among the mid-term measures identified by the eight-month old Bangalore City Traffic Task Force headed by Principal Secretary Home Department Brahm Dutt.

The road measuring 25 kms in length will pass through Mekri Circle, Yeshwanthpur Circle, Dr Rajkumar Road, Sirsi Circle, KIMS junction, Lalbagh main gate point, Bangalore Diary Circle, Richmond Circle, Trinity Circle and so on. The estimated Rs 100 crore project will be handled by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike.

Speaking after a review meeting of the task force on Monday, IGP and Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) K V R Tagore said that the entry of private vehicles will be ‘strictly regulated or prohibited’ within the said core ring road.

Many ‘mini flyovers’ and ‘vehicle sub ways’, and ‘left turns only’ will be the prominent features of the project, he said.

BMP Commissioner Jothi-ramalingam said that the detailed project report on the work is being prepared. Central assistance will be taken as feasible under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM), he added.

As the National Urban Renewal Mission is pending the nod of the Union Cabinet, the State or the BMP is yet to receive the official guidelines to avail the assistance, he noted and added that the BMP, however, is in the process of identifying the projects for which the assistance may be sought.

The BMP has already commissioned the consultants Urban First to prepare the Comprehensive Draft Strategy Plan, Mr Jothiramalingamobserved.