Alternative proposal for N Bangalore accessibility

Alternative proposal for N Bangalore accessibility
Sudhakar Hegde


This is with reference to the comments made by BDA commissioner H Siddaiah. He said the BDA has not given up the 117-km PRR project. I am asking him: Why not? We are a group of concerned professionals of North Bangalore and have come up with an alternative proposal to deal with the accessibility issues affecting North Bangalore.
Our alternate proposal will meet the following objectives —
i) Save taxpayers’ money amounting to Rs 4,745 crore by not implementing both the proposed PRR — I and Expressway projects estimated to cost Rs 3,600 crore and Rs 1,200 crore respectively and ii) Achieve the same objective of reaching North Bangalore including the Bengaluru International Airport without traffic bottlenecks and saving travel time by spending only Rs 55 crore.
Other features of our proposal are: a) Mitigate negative impact on the socio-economic, environmental and quality of life of thousands of residents living in the project area; b) Follows in letter and spirit various laws and regulations enacted by the central and state governments which the BDA proposals haven’t complied with. Major highlights of our proposal are:
1) Use existing parallel roads in lieu of proposed PRR - I and proposed expressway;
2) Widen existing roads to 24 metres on four stretches of roads and link it up with Hennur Bagalur Main Road, SH 104 (Mandur to Jagalatti, Jagalatti to Vidyanagar via Bagalur or Bagalur to Vinayakanagar via Kottigenahalli and Sangliana Road from Budigere to Bagalur;
3) There is no need to link up PRR - I from Yelahanka to Tumkur Road. Besides, PRR- I is aligned right on the Arkavathi river bed in this area which is against the law;
4) Develop existing arterial roads around Tumkur Road and 5) There is no need for truck bays and BMTC terminals all along the proposed PRR-I as we find that it may not be economically feasible.
Our proposal is in consonance with what V P Baligar, principal secretary, infrastructure department, suggested during the meeting. (The writer is an urban planner)