No dearth of grandiose plans

Two more ring roads to tame traffic
Deccan Herald

The Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), of which Mr Kumaaraswamy is the chairman, is taking up two ring roads, named Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) and Intermediate Ring Road (IRR).

After peripheral and core ring roads, a new set of ring roads was mooted by Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy on Tuesday. The Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), of which Mr Kumaaraswamy is the chairman, is taking up two ring roads, named Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) and Intermediate Ring Road (IRR). The cost of these eight-lane ring roads may go up to Rs 6,000 crore.

The STRR will connect major taluk headquarters and the IRR will connect peripheral towns along with five townships, to avoid highway traffic entering the City and open up new areas for economic growth.

Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, Mr Kumaaraswamy said the authority would take up the construction of new ring roads as well as five townships — Nandagudi hobli (Hoskote taluk), Kasaba hobli (Ramanagaram taluk), Bidadi hobli (Ramanagaram taluk), Solur hobli (Magadi taluk) and Sathnur hobli (Kanakapura taluk).

The STRR measuring 283 kilometres will connect peripheral towns of Dobbuspet, Magadi, Ramanagaram, Kanakapura, Anekal, Attibele, Sarjapura, Hoskote, Devanahalli and Doddaballapura.

The IRR of about 178 kilometres will connect intermediate towns of Nelamangala, Tavarek-ere, Bidadi, Harohalli, Thattekere, Sarjapura, Hoskote, Mallapura and Aradeshanahalli, said BMRDA Commissioner Sudhir Krishna. Along with these two ring roads, the BMRDA would take up the improvement of radial roads connecting Bangalore, into six-lane roads, Mr Krishna said.

Mr Krishna said the BMRDA, along with the PWD, has invited private agencies to conduct a study of alignments for ring roads and radial roads, to freeze the alignments and facilitate land acquisition. The process of receiving technical and financial bids is on.

Work orders would be given by the end of May and work would be completed in two years, he said.

The BMRDA is planning to set up five townships, each measuring about 5,000-15,000 acres of land, surrounding the Bangalore Urban district. An investment of about Rs 30,000 crore is expected for the completion of the project.

Townships will be developed in an eco-friendly manner and 50 per cent of the area will be utilised for health, education, playground, park, golf course, etc. They will also come with airstrips for better connectivity. Townships will be constructed in public-private partnership model and land will be acquired by the BMRDA. The private partners would be selected through global tender, said Mr Krishna, adding that the townships would also be completed in two years.

CENTRE’S APPROVAL

Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy said the Centre has approved the proposed project. He said he had spoken to Union Minister for Road Transport T R Baalu, and the Centre has given an oral assent to share 25 per cent of the cost — about Rs 36,000 crore (including Rs 30,000 cr for townships and Rs 6,000 cr for ring roads). However, formal assurance had not been sent. The State government will contribute 25 per cent of the amount and the rest will be raised through public participation. Work on the project will start by May end, he said, and will be completed in two years.

STRR - 283 kms to connect Dobbuspet, Magadi, Ramanagaram, Kanakapura, Anekal, Attibele, Sarjapura, Hoskote, Devanahalli and Doddaballapura

IRR - 178 kms to connect -Nelamangala, Tavarekere, Bidadi, Harohalli, Thattekere, Sarjapura, Hoskote, Mallapura and Aradeshanahalli.

Townships

Nandagudi hobli (Hosakote taluk)

Kasaba hobli (Ramanagaram taluk)

Bidadi hobli (Ramanagaram taluk)

Solur hobli (Magadi taluk)

Sathnur hobli (Kanakapura taluk)