PRR: Another ring road to ease traffic

PRR: Another ring road to ease traffic
The PRR will set the stage for another round of real estate development
The Times of India

The much sought-after 109-km Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) circumnavigating Bangalore City is closing towards realisation. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which is in charge of scripting this allimportant Rs 1,190-odd crores ring road circling the Outer Ring Road, will start the project soon.

Speaking on the project, the BDA Commissioner M N Vidyashankar says, "we have issued the preliminary notification for land acquisition covering 2,049 acres across 104 villages dotted around the city. We would be issuing tender notification shortly and simultaneously final notification will be issued. The cost of the project would be raised through our internal resources and institutional borrowings".

He adds, "with rapid urbanisation in the past few years, there is tremendous increase in the city's population. While the enormous pressure on Bangalore's infrastructure is persistently increasing, transportation is one of the worst hit. The city's road network is ringcum-radial in fashion. All highways and district roads are radially converging into the core area. More than two lakh vehicles enter the city from major highways (NH-4, NH-7, NH-209, and SH-17) and another one lakh from other radial roads (Varthur Road, Magadi Road, Bannerghatta Road, and Tannery Road). The road traffic on national highways is increasing by 12 percent each year and while on State highways it is 15 percent. Trucks which are not heading for the city will pass by without entering the city once the PRR opens". He added that identifying the feasible alignment of PRR was done through remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS), which is fast, as well as a proven modern technology.

The 8-lane road will be on par with IRC standards with 1.5 metre central median and two metre earthen shoulders on either side with truck terminals at every 10 km totaling 100 metres width. Since the PRR runs in a semi-urban belt for the major length, BDA has proposed to develop service roads only at urban limits and at junctions, keeping buffer land on either side in rural stretches for developing service roads at a later date.

Except bits in conurbation areas, the alignment runs in the green belt. It runs in cropland predominantly (60 percent) and to a lesser extent in agriculture plantation (17 percent), commercial plantation (16 percent).

Road to development

PRR runs around the periphery of the Bangalore Metropolitan area. BDA has taken enough precaution in planning PRR to avoid other developments around PRR which will defeat the very purpose of this ring road. PRR has a green buffer on either side thereby reducing the possibility of any developments on the sides. Most of the intercity heavy trucks obviously prefer this corridor instead of ORR, in view of quick, safe traverse and also marginal increase in distance.

The ORR was an instant hit when it came a full circle in 1994. However, the traffic on this road grew due to urbanisation. With the PRR forming the outer road after IRR and ORR, much development will follow in terms of real estate. With the city growing in all direction this road will certainly provide a platform for another round of real estate realisation. The BDA is clear on the kind of development it would facilitate. It is keen to make sure they are in tune with the new CDP. What comes as a clear and thoughtful step is that Bangalore will see many such concentric circles (roads) in the years to come to put in place infrastructure, transportation, housing and commercial needs.

Some villages among the 104 villages on the edge of the city that are touched in the PRR project: Gangodanahalli, Varthur, Anjanapura, Uthralli, Doddabele, Challeghatta, Kodigehalli, Venkatapura, Agara, Gottikere, Bellandur, and Avalahalli.

What the PRR entails…
Length: 108.96 km
Cost: Rs 550 crores
Feature: 8-lane, two ways, 4-lane service roads
Location: 14-22 km from the city center, 2.8-11.5 km from the existing ORR
Crossing: 12 major roads, six railway lines, three water supply lines
Land required: 2,049 acres