Coming up: high road to South Bangalore

Coming up: high road to South Bangalore
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: After Kolkata and Hyderabad, it’s namma Bangalore’s turn. Work on the muchawaited steel bridge at Minerva circle is likely to begin in three months. The 2-km elevated stretch connecting the junction to Hudson circle will help avoid seven signals!
What’s better, it can be dismantled and shifted. It is expected to be a relief from the static concrete structures the city already has. Estimated to cost Rs 105 crore, the detailed project report (DPR) is now ready and the BBMP will float tenders soon.
The elevated stretch will have entry ramps on R V Road and V V Puram Road at Minerva circle. It will be used by motorists going from South Bangalore to other parts beyond Hudson circle. The exit ramps will be provided towards K G Road and Kasturba Road. In the opposite direction, an up ramp is proposed on Nrupathunga Road for traffic going towards South Bangalore.
The proposed alignment will be around Town Hall, but there’ll be no damage to the building. Nor will it be hidden from view, an engineer said. For this purpose, the corridor’s elevation level will be above the building’s roof.
TRAFFIC COUNT
Bangalore currently has 19 flyovers and 12 major underpasses
Traffic experts say an elevated structure like the one coming up is the most feasible way out of the choked roads around Minerva circle
Traffic count at the circle is 10,270 passenger car units (PCU); LMVs constitute nearly 80% of the PCUs. In the other direction, the traffic count is 6,645 PCUs, of which LMVs constitute 85%
STRUCTURE
TYPE: The super structure will be made of steel ENTRY RAMPS: From R V Road, Visveswara Road, Nrupathunga Road EXIT RAMPS: Towards K G Road, R V Road, Kasturba Road
CHALLENGES
Needs constant maintenance as steel rusts
Expensive to be replicated
Increased speed can cause vibrations along the bridge