Malleswaram underpass: Will it pass?

Malleswaram underpass: Will it pass?
Vijay Times

Malleswaram underpass: Will it pass?Will the work on Malleswaram underpass begin or not is the million dollar question.

While Mayor Mumtaz Begum says the work will begin, Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) commissioner K Jairaj says it cannot until he has inspected the venue.

The Mayor told Vijay Times she had directed the BMP commissioner to begin work on the underpass from tomorrow (Wednesday). The work order has been issued and work cannot stop as it has been approved by the government, she had said.

The BMP council has approved the project and the consent of traffic police obtained, she said.

When Jairaj was contacted, he said work cannot begin untill he inspects the venue. Inspection will be conducted next week, he said.

“Work on Malleswaram grade separator will not begin from Wednesday. Following the inspection, it will be decided whether or not to carry out work.” Sumati Rao of Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative said the underpass has been planned unscientifically. Instead of solving bottlenecks, the project will pose more problems, she said.

She said the initiative has suggested certain alternatives. They include: * Construction of a road parallel the railway track that leads to Jakkarayanakere. This enables diversion of moffusil buses * Construction of a bus bay opposite KC General Hospital * Adopting synchronised traffic signal lights

Missed deadline

The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) has failed to meet the Aug 15 deadline of completing the road and drain works on Silver Jubilee Park (SJP) Road.

BMP commissioner K Jairaj had said the road would be thrown open to traffic, but according to traders the work is unlikely to be completed before August-end.

According to a BMP official, the work on a 710-metre stretch of road has been delayed by Karnataka Land Army Corporation (KLAC).

“The completion of road and drain works has become a mammoth task for us. Traders and commuters have been pouring out their hearts. Even the traffic police have been pressuring us to complete works at the earliest,” said the official.

He said the BMP will shortly release Rs 5 crore for expedite the works.

KLAC managing director S V Venkatesh said the work would be completed by end of August.

"We faced problems in dumping debris at the dumping yard. Finally, it was dumped in open places and valleys in Kengeri,” he said.