Former MP Nanje Gowda opposes flyover plan

Former MP Nanje Gowda opposes flyover plan

The Hindu

Writes to Chief Minister questioning the need for the project

# Points raised It is not right to disregard local residents' sentiments
# The project seems aimed at pleasing vested interests
# National College flyover has proved to be of no use

BANGALORE: The former Minister and MP H.N. Nanje Gowda, who represented Basavanagudi in the Legislative Assembly between 1994 and 1999, has expressed unhappiness over plans to build a flyover and grade separator near the Ramakrishna Ashram on Bull Temple Road here.

In a letter to Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh, Mr. Gowda has said it is not right to disregard local residents' sentiments and the fears they have expressed and insist on building flyovers at a place where it is totally uncalled for.

The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has already spent crores of rupees on a flyover despite opposition from the public. "If 20 vehicles plied every day on the flyover since it was inaugurated, we can feel that it is justified. But sadly, that is not the case," he said.

Mr. Gowda said someone for whom making roads usable for all is the last priority had drafted the project for the Bull Temple Road flyover.

Instead of addressing the requirement for smooth traffic flow, the project seems aimed at pleasing vested interests, he charged.

Cost escalation

How did the cost of the flyover, which was estimated at Rs. 21.58 crores in May 2005, suddenly escalate to Rs. 43.55 crores this month, he wondered.

He said it could only mean that the contractors-officials-politicians nexus is aiming at profit for itself rather than solving traffic problems in Bangalore.

Besides, the Government has already approved installation of traffic signals at the circle, and the project has been given to Bharat Electronics.

That would cost only Rs. 6.5 lakhs, and intriguingly, it is the only traffic signal that has not been installed, he pointed out.

Though the PSU (passenger car units) per hour is well below 10,000 and the area has never experienced traffic jams the National College Flyover was built. The flyover has only led to the shrinking of Vani Vilas Road, making it difficult to use. Vehicles coming from Srinagar, Vidyapeetha, Hanumanthanagar and other areas used to take Bull Temple Road, pass through Visvesvarapuram Road and J.C. Road to get to the Vidhana Soudha. But after the flyover was built, vehicles are forced to turn into Vani Vilas Road.

More importantly, the prestigious landmark, the National College building, is no longer visible, students have difficulty in entering the college and pedestrians have been driven off the road with no space for walking at all, Mr. Gowda said.

When this "disastrous" example is already there to show us it was a mistake, we must learn to put people's wishes before taking up projects at huge cost, Mr. Gowda has said in his letter.