BMRCL to close down Minsk Square

BMRCL to close down Minsk Square

Anil Kumar Sastry
Metro underground station to be built; traffic to be diverted
— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

A view of the Minsk Square in Bangalore.
BANGALORE: Your journey to Bengaluru International Airport from the southern and the south-eastern parts of the city may just get delayed in the months to come.

For, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) will be closing down the entire Minsk Square area for the construction of the Cricket Stadium Underground Metro Station.

Thus, traffic from Cubbon Road and Queen’s Road will have to make a detour towards T. Chowdiah Road and further to Bellary Road even as traffic from Infantry Road towards south and south-east Bangalore will be diverted to other roads.

The cricket stadium station is one of the eight underground stations proposed by BMRCL, the other being Vidhana Soudha, Central College, Majestic (two stations), City Railway Station, Chickpet and K.R. Market.

Financial bids for underground tunnelling and stations have been sent for evaluation of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and tenders are likely to be awarded soon.

Since the station construction involves cut and cover method, the area between BSNL’s Bangalore Telecom District Office and the Central Revenue Building/ HAL Corporate Office will be cordoned off to facilitate the work.

According to a tentative plan, traffic from Cubbon Road towards Vidhana Soudha/ Raj Bhavan will join Mahatma Gandhi Road taking a left turn at BRV Junction and then turning right at Anil Kumble Circle.

At Queen’s Junction, vehicles will enter Cubbon Park and move towards Press Club and join the Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi after the Election Commission Office and the old KGID building.

While vehicles going towards Vidhana Soudha and K.R. Circle could take a left turn, vehicles going towards Raj Bhavan could do so taking a right turn.

On the other hand, vehicles from Infantry Road will continue to ply on Bhagwan Mahaveer Road and take a right turn on Cunningham Road to join Cubbon Road.

A small carriageway will be provided near the HAL Corporate Office for those vehicles moving towards Queen’s Road.