Flyover work hobbles along

Flyover work hobbles along
BY CHANDRASHEKAR G.
BENGALURU







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I Project was scheduled to open in October 2007 I Planned to provide signal-free traffic from Malleswaram to Yeshwanth- pur, the project has been moving at a snail’s pace defeating its purpose ‘ Due to a steady stream of vehicles, pedestrians have a tough time. Crossing the road at the junc- ‘ ‘ tion is difficult. Civic agencies should con- duct a survey about the problems before starting work K. N. Nagaraj, retired engineer ‘ Going to Majestic is a major problem, with buses being diverted from Yeshwanthpur. We have to either go to Malleswaram or till ‘ ‘ Govardhan Theatre to take buses to Majes- tic, as bus no. 90 has been cancelled due to the project Ashwini R, housewife
People of Yesh wanthpur are paying the price for the lack of coordination between the civic agencies and the contractor involved in construction of the flyover on Yeshwanthpur road, which has been delayed for over a year.

Those heading to Pune, Tumkur and parts of North Karnataka using national highway 4 running through Yeshwanthpur, find themselves caught in traffic jams most times because of the ongoing work on the flyover.

Planned to provide a signal-free way for traffic from Malleswaram to Yeshwanthpur, the flyover project was awarded to Simplex Infrastructure Limited in April 2006, which was given a deadline of 18 months to build it.

The flyover was scheduled to open in October 2007 and ease traffic jams towards Mathikere, RMV Extension, Gokula, BEL and Outer Ring Road.

Although the project estimate was Rs 19.3 crore, the cost is expected to escalate by at least Rs 4 crore due to the delay. Senior project manager A.K. Singh claims the delay has been caused by hurdles in land acquisition.

“We have been having problems in acquiring land for the flyover right from the start,” he says, adding, “We want the land opposite the Yeshwanthpur police station which is occupied by a petrol pump. Only if get this property can we build a wall and the down ramp of the flyover.” According to him the BWSSB is also proving uncooperative by not shifting a 300 mm diameter water pipeline from the area.

“Unless the pipe is shifted work on the flyover cannot progress,” he says.

A letter was written to the BWSSB on November 22 to shift the pipe, but there has been no response from it, Mr Singh maintains.

Meanwhile the BBMP has not yet planned the service road for vehicles running from Yeshwanthpur bus stand and has also failed to invite tenders for work on building a loop under the flyover for vehicles, which has not been awarded to the contractor engaged for the main project.

Despite the problems, Simplex promises to complete the work on the flyover by April 2009 provided the land is acquired and BWSSB shifts the water pipeline.