4-lane road to ease traffic woes

4-lane road to ease traffic woes

It may cut travel time to airport But traders upset as shops will be demolished

Santhosh Kumar RB. Bangalore
Travelling to Bangalore International Airport (BIA) could become easier as the single lane road from Nagavara Junction to Yelahanaka Air Force Station on Bellary Road (NH-7) will be converted to four lanes.
This link road is expected to reduce traffic woes on the Bellary Road. Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has taken up the road-widening work on this stretch. This would help in decreasing traffic congestion and provide for faster movement of vehicles towards BIA.
While many welcome the project, traders are unhappy as they will lose their livelihood in the demolition drive for road widening project. "We are happy this would provide better connectivity to the Airport from the city. But what will happen to our livelihood?" asked Mohamed Iqbal, a businessman.
"When we apprised the BBMP of the problems of badly tarred roads, no one came to help us. But now, they are threatening to demolish the buildings if we don't vacate our shops," said K Mohamed Vazeer, businessman and president of Thanisandra Residential Welfare Association.
With no alternative, people are using the Bellary Road to reach the airport. Panduranga H Rane, Traffic DCP (west), said, "About 95% people use Bellary Road to reach International Airport every day. Compared to other routes, it is convenient. First, the commuters reach Hebbal and take Bellary Road to reach BIA. If the road is widened here, it will reduce traffic gridlocks on Bellary Road."
The road widening work has already begun on Airport Link Road. A BBMP official said, "The road from Yelahanka Air Force Station connects to Bellary Road running through Thanisandra, Ramakrishna Hegde Nagar, Bellalli Cross, Jaffer Sharief's House Road and Reva College. We are now clearing all illegal commercial complexes, shops and houses on either side of the New Airport Road near Thanisandra to quicken the road widening process. It is just an alternative road but the distance from Hebbal to airport will remain the same."
The work is not progressing fast due to resistance from traders on either side of the road at Thanisandra.
"There are a lot of commercial establishments on Thanisandra Road. This is also one of the reasons for the delay in the work," the official said.
The Byatarayanapura division of the BBMP is handling the project.