BBMP work on disputed site holds up traffic

BBMP work on disputed site holds up traffic
Tuesday June 26 2007 11:37 IST

BANGALORE: Commuters and office-goers were greeted by platoons of policemen at the Shivajinagar bus stand on Monday.

Even as a long pending land dispute between Bowring Hospital and Sultan Shah Dargah led to a tense situation, traffic in the area was affected for nearly six hours.

The commuters’ woes began when the BBMP requested protection from the police while they commenced construction work on the property adjacent to the hospital on Monday.

The RMO’s quarters and nurses quarters on the property had been demolished in April to make way for a hostel for the post-graduate students of the hospital.

The five-and-a-half acres of land worth crores has been in dispute for quite a long time. While the Government says the property belongs to it, the dargah committee claims that the land was given to ruler Hyder Ali to Sultan Shah.

Priya, a student of Jyoti Nivas College, said: “The diversion of traffic took us by surprise. Monday mornings are a usually hectic and this incident has only added to it.”

Another commuter Ramaswamy felt that traffic diversion was needed to avoid any unruly incidents. “This might have caused inconvenience to people but ultimately it is the public who would be in trouble,” he said.

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) Chief Traffic Manager (Operation) Dastagir Sheriff said that BMTC buses had to be parked on Cubbon Road, Queen’s Road, Infantry Road and Balekundri Circle instead of Shivajinagar bus terminus between 8 am and 2 pm.

The buses, however, were on schedule. According to traffic police officials, there was no interruption of traffic except near Bowring hospital.

Police Commissioner N Achutha Rao said that no trouble was reported.

“The situation is under control. The traffic had been diverted in order to avoid any untoward incident. We were requested to provide protection by the BBMP and we have ensured there is adequate police presence in the area where the construction is on,” he said.