BCC's road widening hits road block

BCC's road widening hits road block
Vijay Times

THE Bangalore City Corporation (BCC) is having a tough time implementing its ambitious project of widening 85 roads in the City as the public and the police have not been co-operating.

"Police officials residing in the police quarters near Vellara Junction have refused to part with their land, which is required for widening roads," said BCC additional commissioner (finance) P K Srihari.

POLICEMEN BACK OUT

"Earlier, the occupants of the police quarters had agreed to part with the land under the Transferable Development Rights (TDR) concept. However, they later backed out when BCC officials went to acquire a portion of the land at the quarters," he added.

The project has been slackened by the police at High Grounds as well. Despite requesting them not to renovate the High Grounds police station, which we said would be acquired for road widening, they went about with the renovations, Srihari said.

WORK UNDER WAY

However, work on Palace and Hosur Roads are going on in full swing. There has been no problems acquiring government lands here. Some of the government lands were acquired in lieu of TDR and a few others had surrendered their TDR to the BCC, he added.

Recalling that a former chief secretary had written to the BCC requesting them not to acquire the Golf Turf Club on Palace Road, Srihari said a meeting had been convened with the authorities of the turf to convince them.

SIL VER LINING

However, the silver lining is that defence authorities and officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) have agreed to part with their lands for road widening. The authorities of the Bangalore University, Cauvery Guest House, Bangalore Medical College Hostel, Meteorological Department and Public Works Department have agreed to provide lands required for the project. "Compound walls have already been razed," he added.