Here’s some good news for harried commuters and motorists who travel from Rajajinagar, Vijayanagar, Basaveshwaranagar and other areas to the city centre in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
The BBMP is going to begin work on the much-awaited eight-lane corridor between Okalipuram Junction and Fountain Circle from next month.
Estimated cost: Rs115 crore
The project, which was initiated in November 2008 by urban development minister S Suresh Kumar, was delayed owing to technical problem in the tender process.
“First, the zigzag stretches of the road — there are four turns on the stretch that cause problems (will be set right). Owing to the road curvature, buses block the entire traffic flow and other vehicles queue up behind them. The second part is the heavy traffic congestion from Srirampura, which is a major bottleneck on the stretch,” a BBMP official said.
According to a survey, the stretch witnesses high-density traffic movement. It is 14,791 passenger car unit (PCU) in the morning and 14,900 PCU in the evening and 9,963 PCU on the platform road.
Shifting cables, pipes
Regarding the shifting of utilities on the stretch, the officer said the BBMP had written several letters to all the agencies. “As far as the BWSSB is concerned, new water and sewerage pipes will be installed first and the existing ones will be removed. The 220kv line, which had been laid underground by the KPTCL, will not be shifted. The agency has agreed to postpone the laying of the 66kv power line until the project is completed,” officer said.
Quid pro quo with railways
The BBMP is acquiring 12,818 sqmt (3 acre) of railway land. “The railways has agreed to give land only on the condition that the BBMP should provide alternative land in the city centre near the railway tracks. The BBMP is providing one acre near Binny Mills and one acre near the collegiate education department. We are also constructing the compound wall for the railways,” the official said.
Technical bid put off Simplex Infrastructures Private Limited and NCC Private Limited have qualified in the pre-qualification tender and the second stage tender is under way.
BBMP engineer-in-chief BT Ramesh said the opening of the technical bid, scheduled for February 17, has been postponed by 10 days. “The work will start in March and will be completed in the stipulated time,” he said.
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