Terminal case: Projects plod

Terminal case: Projects plod
I Several infrastructure projects in the city are moving at a snail’s pace I Delay in completion of infrastructure projects means traffic jams and hassled commuters, finds Chandrashekar G.
Bengaluru


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“I was marked half-a-day absent for reaching office 10 minutes late.” “I could not attend my first period in college.” “I was made to stand outside the school.” “I missed an appointment, which I had taken after a long struggle.” “Sorry, I made you wait for long….” These are common refrains that Bangaloreans often utter. Traffic jams, choked roads and infrastructure projects moving at a snail’s pace have been the bane of the city’s development.

No doubt, several stake holders like the BBMP, BDA, BMRDA and Namma Metro have been spending several crores to ease the travel travails of the commuters, by taking up major infrastructure projects like construction of flyovers, grade separators/underpasses, the Metro Rail project, but there has been no respite from traffic jams. Residents commuting from across the city have blamed poor infrastructure and slip-shod traffic management. But the city’s stakeholders have done little to eliminate their woes. Only speedy comple tion of infrastructure works can reduce the congestion.

Major projects like grade separators at Puttenahalli and Kadirenahalli, Magadi Road-Chord Road junction, Vijayanagar junction, flyover over at Yeshwanthpur, metro projects at MG Road, Indiranagar and other areas have added to the misery of the people.

Commuting to the heart of the city from south Bengaluru has been a nightmare because of construction of underpasses at Puttenahalli and Kadirenahalli junctions.

People travelling from Bannerghata Road, Kanakapura Road, JP Nagar, Banashankari, Uttarahalli, Kadirenahalli, Padmanabhanagar, Puttenahalli and Outer Ring Road have been facing severe problems as the projects are yet to be completed. They have to use bylanes in residential areasto reach their destination.

Though the Puttenahalli and Kadirenahalli grade separators provide for smooth flow of traffic, connecting the eastern and western parts of Bengaluru and the IT hub (Jayanagar and Bannerghatta), people will have to endure diversions and traffic snarls until the projects are completed.

The plight of citizens in and around Indiranagar and MG Road and surrounding areas is more or less the same with work on the Metro project going on in full swing.

People from north Bengaluru have been facing similar problems with NHAI and BBMP taking up road widening and flyover work on Tumkur Road.

Resident welfare associations and non-governmental organisations have often lamented the on the battered condition of roads in the city at public forums. But to no avail.

Recently, a group of responsible citizens aired their grievance at the Agenda for Bangalore Infrastructure Development workshop organised by the government. They also suggested solutions to overcome the problems.

Though the Chief Minister, Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa, has promised to make Bengaluru a top class city by pumping in Rs 50,000 crore, it will take time for the government stakeholders to put the much-needed infratsructure in place.