April deadline for infra projects

April deadline for infra projects

While abide is trying to improve city conditions, swr is planning a new rail link to bia

Several infrastructure projects in the city may soon be speeded up and people may witness lesser traffic snarls

DNA Correspondent. Bangalore

Officials of 'Agenda for Bangalore Infrastructure Development' (ABIDe) committee have finally taken it upon themselves to improve the city's infrastructure and ease traffic congestion at the earliest. This time, the deadline to complete most of the city's projects has been set at April 2009.
Officials chalked out a blueprint for the infrastructure works. This will be formally prepared by the Bangalore Development Authority, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
A senior ABIDe official, on condition of anonymity, told DNA that the government has asked the three agencies to prepare the blueprint at the earliest and submit it to the government for approval.
It will comprise details on management of the city's traffic and easing congestion. The blueprint states that the date for completing the projects is March 15.
"This blueprint will incorporate all details of the existing bottlenecks and problems faced by commuters. The main aim is to ease traffic congestion on the busy roads of the city, especially MG Road and also roads that are linked to the airport. To make the blueprint a success, all agencies will have to work in coordination with each other,'' the source added.
Furthermore, to ensure smooth connectivity, directions have been issued for setting up dedicated bus bays across the outer ring road (ORR).
All the bus bays in the city will have integrated passenger information systems, which will display all information regarding the arrival and departure of buses and their timings.
Apart from BMTC buses, the officials are also planning to extend this service to other state and tourist buses.
According to the source, these integrated passenger information systems are proposed to be set up by March 15.
To ease all bottle necks on the ORR and linking roads, ABIDe has proposed to widen Bellary Road, Tumkur Road, Magadi Road, Mysore Road, Kanakapura Road, Bannerghatta Road, Hosur Road, Sarjapura Road, Whitefield Road and Old Madras Road.
They will be made six-lane wide. Since most of these roads are highways, they will be upgraded to meet the vehicular rush.
But in case of Magadi Road where existing infrastructure projects are on, the source said, ABIDe has directed BDA to complete the projects at the earliest.
The government is planning to launch three new initiatives on January 26.
The first is to enhance the connectivity between Marathahalli and Hebbal.
Secondly, the work on the link road connecting to Kengeri from Mysore Road Junction needs to be completed. This link is not ready and ABIDe will write to the South Western Railway to provide structures which will complete the Mysore Road Grade Seperator connecting Mysore Road and Magadi Road up to Kengeri.
The third initiative is the construction of an underpass on Tumkur Road near the AirForce office. Since this may risk the security of defence services, the government will discuss the issue to find a solution, added the source.