Underpass delay hits commuters

Underpass delay hits commuters
BY CHANDRASHEKAR G.
BENGALURU







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‘ The magic box under- passes have not been planned properly. In the process, public interest has been ignored. Due to lack of parking space, business has been affected to a great extent. — M. Vishwakarma, Trader Govern- ment pro- jects being in the lurch is not new. Now the quality of under- passes are also sub standard. They should have provided parking space for vehicles and the road should have been asphalted. — Sanjeet Raju, Shop owner Stagnant water from leaking drainage pipes has been dam- aging the road at the CBI Junction. The roads and flyovers ‘ should have been completed before the inauguration of the new international airport. — Natarajappa T, Constable
Delay in work on the underpass at the CBI Junction on Bellary road, leading to the Bengaluru International Airport, is causing traffic jams and increasing pollution in the area.

Business has been hit all along the stretch of the underpass. Several traders are suffering from dust allergy and bronchitis. Schoolchildren are among the worst affected.

Thanks to the underpass work which has blocked the road leading to RT Nagar, Byrasandra, Anandnagar and other areas, school buses are forced to take a detour on Bellary Road to reach them.

Those commuting in autorickshaws have to pay bigger fares due to the forced detours.

“Worse, curing was not done properly for the underpass walls. After traders brought this to the notice of the contractors this was rectified. If curing is ignored the longevity of a structure is affected and it can collapse,” says Mr Vinay Hegde, who lives in the area.

“Going to Devanahalli on Bellary Road is virtually an uphill task. The underpasses at the BDA and CBI Junctions are like hillocks. It is like going over two mini Nandi hills on the way to Nandi hills,” he complains.

BMP engineers have assured the people that the underpass work at CBI Junction will be completed by November 15 allowing free flow of vehicles. Work on crash barriers is in progress, they say.

“We are building the underpass for the benefit of people in RT Nagar, Anandnagar, and Byrasandra. The underpass will allow smooth flow of traffic and give pedestrians safe passage. Once the project is completed, people will appreciate it,” the engineers add.

The project has been conceived at a cost of Rs 5 crore, according to them.