Wait for E-City expressway almost over

Wait for E-City expressway almost over
To Be Inaugurated By January-End
A T Subrahmanya | TNN

Bangalore: The long-awaited and much-delayed Electronic City expressway will finally be inaugurated by this month-end.
The four-lane expressway aimed at reducing woes of commuters is going through final tests after several delays which left the IT sector in despair. The last straw is superstition — the opening has been reportedly delayed because of the prevailing Dhanur Masa, an inauspicious month.
At first sight, the expressway appears to offer a smooth ride — it has four lanes (two in either direction), metal dividers, streetlights on either side and a concrete median painted black & white.
Though the toll rate for users hasn’t been announced, the two gates (manual and automatic) have been erected at the Electronic City end. Some beautification work with colourful plants are being placed at the entrance of the expressway.
While formal announcement over the inauguration hasn’t been made yet, NHAI officials said tests are on and will be over in a couple of days. They said that would meet on January 10 and the expressway could be open by the month-end.
Work began on this road in 2006 and was scheduled to be opened in September 2008. The nearly 10-km expressway connects Central Silk Board Junction and Electronic City and distance could be covered in less than 20 minutes.
The expressway goes over the Hosur BMIC flyover. Currently, this stretch is one of most congested in the city and travel time is anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour or more during peak hours.
The Rs 765 crore (approximate) project is a part of the BETL (Bangalore Elevated Tollways Ltd), for the National Highways Authority of India. Part of the expressway is built by Maytas Infra Ltd.
‘SUPERSTITIOUS DELAY’
According to T V Mohandas Pai, head HR, Infosys Technologies, the elevated expressway to E-city is ready but bureaucratic superstition is delaying the opening. “The opening of the ITC flyover and an underpass at Hulimaavu are also waiting for the right moment, thanks to such superstition. The government is forgetting the fact that we are a secular state and public convenience and comfort should be given paramount importance and not superstitions. This is atrocious,” Pai said. FINE DETAILS
Cost — Rs 765 crore (approx) Length — 9.985 km. 4 lanes of traffic, two on each side Crosses Bommanahalli, Garebavipalya, Singasangra, Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor, Begur and Electronic City Designer — Concrete Flyover