Metro work to make going heavy for city road users

Metro work to make going heavy for city road users
Deccan Herald

Waiting with bated breath to see the Namma Metro work to chug on? If so, brace up for all the traffic woes that lie in wait for you, from early next month.

Waiting with bated breath to see the Namma Metro work to chug on? If so, brace up for all the traffic woes that lie in wait for you, from early next month.

With the metro work set to be launched for the ‘Reach 1’ (the 7-km stretch between Kanteerava Stadium and Byappanahalli), the traffic police and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) officials are now busy drafting a traffic diversion plan.

Major diversion

According to BMRC Managing Director V Madhu, there will be major diversion of traffic on M G Road, CMH Road, Old Madras Road and parts of Indiranagar 100-feet Road, where the metro work will be taken up.

The work — construction of via-ducts (pillars over which the rail moves) — will initially be taken up between Kumble Circle and the Brigade Road junction. There won’t be much problem on this stretch as the work will be confined to the elevated boulevard on one side of M G Road, Mr Madhu said. But a stretch between the Brigade Road junction and Trinity Circle will be the worst-hit. For the work here will be taken up right on the middle of the road and “the contractor will occupy nearly nine meters of the road”.

Almost the same will be the situation on other roads. “The traffic diversion plan will be finalised by the traffic police. Soon after finalising the tender, we will sit with the contractor to work out all the minute details...We will ensure that inconvenience to motorists is minimal,” Mr Madhu said.

The BMRC Board is holding its meeting on January 19, wherein the tender for the Rs 110-crore project for viaduct construction will be finalised and the contractor named. “The very next day, we’ll issue the work order also,” he said.

The changes in the traffic system will remain in place for nearly three years — the time set for completion of the work.

‘Not much a problem’

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M A Saleem said that in the initial stages, there would not be “much of a problem”. As and when the work progresses, the traffic plan will be modified accordingly, he said.