Cauvery underpass goes under again

Cauvery underpass goes under again


Cauvery Theatre underpass was closed for repair works in Bangalore on Monday.
Faiza HaneefFirst Published : 24 Feb 2009 04:44:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 24 Feb 2009 09:22:50 AM IST
BANGALORE: The Cauvery Theatre underpass, the first pre-cast instant underpass, which was inaugurated exactly a year ago and which made famous the term “magic box” on Bangalore’s infrastructure front, was closed for traffic Sunday evening through Monday. The nightmare came back to hunt those using the underpass.
A few months ago also, the underpass had been closed for traffic for 24 hours to take up what the authorities called “concrete work.” The official version was the same this time too.
The structure which was completed in a record 32 days is plagued by water seepage problem on its down ramp. This calls for heavy maintenance works, every now and then. The underpass which originally sported a shoddily-done asphalt surface was converted to concrete a few months ago.
Speaking to the Express, a BBMP senior engineer said, “We decided to go in for a concrete surface to tide over problems arising out of water seepage. A part of the work, initiated a few months back, was pending.
It (Monday) was a general holiday and there was no heavy traffic. So we decided to finish the pending work on Monday.” The underpass will be open for traffic by Tuesday morning, he informed.
While constructing the underpass, BBMP had sourced help from water management experts in Chennai. A well was dug 100 metres way from the underpass to drain out the water.
A 215-metre pipe, connecting the well to the drain network on Bellary Road, was laid to drain out the water.
But problems persisted.