Issues and the IT city

Issues and the IT city
There are signs of the authorities changing gears to meet the issues before this IT hub
The Times of India


Even as the city sipped from the high of the IT economy, the downsides came cascading in. The city's roads just could not handle the growing numbers of vehicles. Parking spaces were no longer there for the taking. With malls came the traffic snarls. And even as Bangalore hurtled towards a pride of place as a global destination, the not-soromantic flooding and potholed roads vied for a share of the headlines.

Who is to blame? Consider this. The city's roads were meant to handle a load of seven lakh vehicles. There are around 21 lakhs on them today. Their number is growing by around 750 everyday. The sewerage system is half a century old, meant for a sleepy little town, not a burgeoning IT nerve center. There just isn't enough space to widen the roads. Flyovers fall short of expectations as the demand gets out of hand almost even before they are completed. Power, water or maintaining civic amenities for a city that's reaching for the stars at a meteoric pace has never been tried before. The resulting pangs of growth are but natural.

However, the planning that is going into solving some of the major issues before the city is beginning to take concrete shape. While the implementation stage is still some way away, many projects on the anvil will bring relief and create the sort of infrastructure this IT hub needs. The success of these projects will spell another major thrust in the city's development rate as they will make Bangalore more efficient and conducive for the 24/7 business environment global organisations look for in these days.

North Corridor

This project that envisages a six-lane expressway to the proposed international airport will translate into major development in the northern belt of the city. With a large number of localities there suddenly coming within easy reach of the city, the implications are huge. From another IT/BT belt that the State IT Department is pushing for to a gamut of segments to back the international airport, the possibilities are many. This project will pitchfork an entire region of the city into the limelight for its potential in both commercial and residential value. It will make commuting easier and quicker.

Flyovers

While it is being increasingly felt that flyovers are solutions only at specific points and 'corridors' are the long-term solution that the city needs, the projects in the pipeline will take the pressure of some of the city's busiest intersections. The State Government's move to get the works going is a step towards smoother traffic conditions. The Airport Road project getting off the ground again, for example, will come as a boon to those using this busy road daily.

Water

The BWSSB's project to supply drinking water to the seven CMCs and TMC localities will be a major catalyst in the development of these areas. With housing being in great demand and the outskirts drawing many with improved connectivity, these localities will see considerable growth in the days ahead. Both entrepreneurs looking for a base and developers putting up residential projects will find these localities good.

Roads

The planned Peripheral Ring Road apart from the development of the existing arterial and sub-arterial roads will translate to considerably improved connectivity apart from large scale development potential. Even as the Outer Ring Road snaked around the city, the localities in its wake witnessed development. Layouts and commercial hubs sprung up even as the paint on the Outer Ring Road's pavement was beginning to dry. The Peripheral Ring Road will take considerable pressure off the Outer Ring Road and parts of the city with trucks finding it a better alternative to the city's roads. The road network in the city will be more efficient with the planned development. The parking lots too will be needed to take the pressure in the days ahead and the plans falling in place is none too soon.

Mass transit systems

Even as the metro rail debate rages on, there have been efforts by the traffic police to get the concept of mass transportation going. Their efforts to get large corporates employing a heavy workforce to use buses was a welcome beginning. While a metro rail may take some pressure off, a combined move comprising such initiatives to get vehicles off the roads is the need of the hour. With a lesser number of vehicles on the roads and the traffic monitoring infrastructure such as synchronised signals and master controls in place, commuting will be far easier.
Bangalore has come a long way from the days when it was known only for its weather. And it's on its way to greater heights. As the city scales peaks not many forecasted it would scale, its infrastructure needs to back it. The plans that are on paper right now will make the difference people in the city want to see today.