The long way home, courtesy delayed underpasses

The long way home, courtesy delayed underpasses


Sriram V
First Published : 02 Dec 2008 04:40:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 02 Dec 2008 12:58:40 PM IST

BANGALORE: With just two months to go before its deadline for completion lapses, only 15 per cent of the work on the Puttenahalli underpass has been accomplished.

The underpass which was supposed to be ready by January, is now expected to take many more months.

For more than six months, motorists travelling between Bannerghatta and Mysore Road have had to take a very circuitous route because of the construction of underpasses at Puttenahalli and Kadirenahalli.

Presently, there are more than 12 diversions, in place of what was once a straight stretch of road between Puttenahalli Junction and Deve Gowda petrol pump junction at Padmanabhanagar.

With the underpass work at Kadirenahalli also delayed by more than six months, the misery of commuters as well as that of residents in the vicinity is unlikely to end soon. The underpasses are part of the BBMP’s plans to make the Ring Road stretch between Silk Board and Mysore Road signalfree.

The work order for the Kadirenahalli underpass, estimated to cost over Rs 24 crore, was issued in March this year.

But work started only in May because of traffic diversion issues. But once work began, so did the problems.

According to BBMP officials, excess ground water has been one of the main reasons for the delay. At a depth of threeand- half metres, workers hit a natural well which resulted in water accumulating at the site. A temporary drain had to be provided at the site for removing the water, BBMP officials told The Express.

Then there was the problem of shifting utility lines of various private companies as well as BESCOM and BSNL. “None of these companies have an idea of where their cables run. We discover these only after we start our work,” they said.

The officials also blame the space constraints.

Since this is a residential area, there are constraints in transporting heavy equipment like earth-movers. The BBMP officials also lamented their inability to continue work after midnight, as this would disturb the residents. As things stand, March end is the deadline for this project.