BDA: Promises fulfilled and unfulfilled

BDA: Promises fulfilled and unfulfilled
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Some Promises are fulfilled and some left unfulfilled by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) this year. Lot of work was done in layouts and roads. The sewage water treatment plant at Cubbon park was also commissioned. But not a single flyover project was completed.

Perhaps the beginning of the year was inauspicious for the BDA since its major projects, got entangled in litigation. While its dream project of the Arkavathy layout offering 20,000 sites was quashed by a single bench of the High Court, the Airport Road and Jayadeva Circle flyover projects were stalled due to litigation.

Being hopeless, the BDA even refunded the initial deposits of the eligible applicants. But November brought cheers with the judgement by a divisional bench of the High Court given in favour of the project. The civic work on the layout has been going on a war footing.

As for the flyovers, promises fell flat. Of the three flyovers being built by the BDA, not a single flyover project was completed this year. People pinned hopes on the timely completion of the Anand Rao flyover, which was to come as a Rajyotsava gift to Bangaloreans. But the flyover is not yet completed and is expected to be opened in January.

Though the main flyover in the Jayadeva junction project was opened in the early part of the year, the underpasses are incomplete due to litigation. This deprives the BDA of the credit of completing a flyover project in the year.

Work on the Jayadeva flyover project and Airport Road flyover project was resumed in July after the High Court directed that the contractors, UP State Bridge Corporation Limited will continue with the project. BDA Commisioner M N Vidyashankar has said that the main flyover in the Airport road project will be completed by April 2006 and the entire project including the loop and grade level roads will be completed by July 2006.

The Jayadeva flyover project in all respects including the underpass and service roads is expected to be completed by April 2006, and the Bannerghatta side arm will be completed by February 2006. These dates are much ahead of the scheduled dates of completion.

The BDA is currently undertaking work worth Rs 2,500 crore, which is the highest in the country.

Work on the four laning of the road from the Airport to Kundenahalli was begun in December. Work on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) between Magadi road and Mysore road was also begun. Automation of lighting of ORR was also completed. Preliminary notification for land acquisitions for the Periferal Ring Road were also issued. Tenders were floated for the construction of two underpasses in Ramamurthinagar and Magadi Road- Chord Road Cross.

In layouts work relating to water supply, drainage and culverts were completed. HSR Layout and other layouts were immediately attended to after the havoc caused by rains.

The draft of the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for the next year 10 years was also released. The CDP proposed to reduce the green belt to nearly 450 square kilometres from over 700 square kilometres, drawing objections from environmentalists. The final draft is awaited.