Underpass in a limbo

Underpass in a limbo
Malleswaram road blocked, commuters harassed
The Times of India

Bangalore: A flyover is never designed for public good. Rather it is for the resume of a political honcho to make it more impressive. Many ambitious infrastructure projects in the city are planned and scrapped later either because of public pressure or because of non-feasibility.

The latest casualty is the underpass at Malleswaram. After dillydallying for four years and providing funds in successive budgets, the BMP finally started work only to be stalled by citizens. Subsequently, the chock-ablock Malleswarm Circle and Mohammaden Block come to an abrupt halt with half-dug trenches and the road entirely blocked. Harassed commuters have to turn left towards Margosa Road and take another circuitous route just to traverse just a few yards. The project disturbs about 120 properties in the entire stretch.

When citizens demanded to know some logistics of the Rs 20-crore project, the BMP personnel drew a blank. Like relocation of a bus stand along the project path, width of the service road which, after the underpass has enough space just for a bus. On a visit to the place last week, district-in-charge minister R Ashok ordered that the BMP start work only after reworking specifics and furnishing a detailed report on the problems raised.

What then is the status of the project? “The BJP has lost its face by staging such a dharna, they came to the site, made some noises and just to placate them we had to stop the work temporarily. Construction will resume mid-week’’ say BMP officials. Members of the BJP however, raise heckles about the “unscientific projects that the BMP takes up.’’ Explains BJP spokesperson S Prakash, “For this underpass, the width of the road should be 120 feet whereas the site measures 90 feet. The minister has categorically told them that work cannot start. We are talking about Rs 20 crore of taxpayers money.’’

BMP commissioner K Jairaj puts forth a more plausible solution: “The project is for the people. If they have apprehensions about its feasibility then the whole purpose is defeated. I will review the survey the engineers are doing on responding to the issues raised by minister Ashok.’’

Interestingly, just for an idea of how politically mired the project is, check this — the area MLA M R Seetharam is a Congressman, the local corporator is a Congressman, the protesters are from BJP, the ruling party at the BMP is the Congress and the state government of course, is a JD(S)-BJP combine!

PROJECTS UNDER PUBLIC SCANNER

An underpass near the Ramakrishna Ashram was successfully stalled because citizens demanded to know how it would help them and there were no credible answers.
The National College Flyover, before start of the project had a record number of agitations and protests. Yet the flyover took off. Today by consensus, the flyover is mostly deserted and students at National College say the flyover affords a “timepass view’’ from their class-room windows.