Underpass has long way to go

Underpass has long way to go
BY CHANDRASHEKAR G.
BENGALURU








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Delay in completion of the Magadi Road-Chord Road junction underpass is frustrating the people of south-east Bengaluru.

The city’s longest underpass, which is being built at a cost of Rs 31.85 crore to reduce traffic congestion, has become a mammoth problem for the people living in its vicinity due to the inordinate delay in its completion.

The project is terribly behind schedule as it was to be completed in June 2007. Having overshot the deadline by 14 months, the underpass has become a nightmare for the people here, who are caught in bumper to bumper traffic most days.

The delay is being attributed to the realignment of the underpass with the Metro Rail project.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) authorities have urged the BDA to integrate the underpass with the Metro Rail to avoid complications, says a BDA engineer. “Both the authoirities chalked out a new strategydue to the request by the BMRCL and designs had to be changed. The plan was approved last month and we have now integrated the Metro Rail piers with the project. We have been entrusted with additional work of Rs 6 crore by the BMRCL,” said the engineer.

Seven piers are required to be installed for Metro Rail which passes through Vijayanagar.

To add to the misery, the monsoon, the lorry strike and escalation in steel prices also delayed the work on the underpass.

“The work on the underpass has been entrusted to the East Coast Construction of India. The work will be completed by December. This junction connects four major roads out of which one is a national highway (NH-4) and the other two state highways,” the engineer explains.

Once completed, the underpass will give vehicles travelling on Tumkur Road, Magadi Road and Mysore Road a signals-free way, with service roads on either sides. The road is also being widened for smooth flow of vehicles.

The pass-over will be a two way undivided road leading to West of Chord Road with a free right to Prasanna Theatre Road from the Vijaynagar side.