Underpass can prevent pile-up in Bangalore locale

Residents of Bapuji Nagar are confused. One of the lanes will be widened but they are not sure which one.

The list deceptively mentions just Bapuji Nagar Cross Road without specifying which cross. The idea, it seems, is to connect the Railway Parallel Road in RPC Layout to Mysore Road. But no straight road connects the two. So what’s the point, wonder hundreds of people who could be displaced.

“At first, we heard an underpass would be built at the railway gate. Later, we came to know of the proposal to widen another road. Underpass on one road, widening on another, how scientific is this,” asks Chandrashekhar C, a social worker.

“When we filed an RTI application, we got a reply saying even the underpass is not being planned and that the plans are not ready,” says Chandrashekhar.

On 11th Cross Road, Kumar N, a provision store owner, says he heard an underpass was being planned on that stretch. “We’ve seen them measuring many streets. We don’t know what they plan to do,” says Nagaraju N, who may lose his building if the underpass comes up there.

About 100 to 200 houses may go if a big underpass is planned on this 20-25ft road, says Chandrashekhar. A tiny underpass that facilitates the movement of light motor vehicles is sufficient. It will help because the railway gate is closed frequently during the day leading to traffic pile-ups.

The junction is prone to jams because vehicles rush in as soon as the gates are opened giving the impression that it is a major bottleneck needing a big solution.

“Two barricades put up recently have solved that problem. There is no need to spend Rs2 crore on an underpass,” says Chandrashekar.

If the planners insist on a big underpass necessitating a wider road to match its size, people will oppose it, he says. Besides, building a big underpass and widening the road will be a waste of money as the stretch leads nowhere. It comes to an end at an open drain from where vehicles have to turn right or left and travel through narrow lanes to get to Mysore Road.

“Why should heavy vehicles be allowed into these small roads? There are other sturdy roads for that. This neighbourhood should just be allowed to remain as it is. A small underpass for the convenience of people crossing over from RPC Layout to Bapuji Nagar will do,” says Ramesh BN, who runs a shop here.

“Vehicles from Vijayanagar, Chandra Layout and RPC Layout have begun to use this road more after West of Chord Road became restricted due to Metro construction. Once that work is over, we hope this stretch will become relatively freer,” says Krishnamurthy KV, who lives in this area.

Residents fear that a gigantic underpass with an 80ft road to match will open up the area to heavy traffic spoiling the peace they enjoy now.  The recent death of a 6-year-old boy run over by a tractor adds to this fear.

“We protested, demanding that heavy vehicles be restricted in this area. We even tried to get a bar installed to keep out trucks and tempos, in vain. We staged a rail roko for an hour. Our MLA, councillor, railway commissioner, and police commissioner visited and assured that some step would be taken. But nothing happened,” says Krishnamurthy.

Fifth Main Road on which the boy was killed was made a one-way allowing traffic to move towards Railway Parallel Road. The 4th Main Road also became a one-way for vehicles moving towards Mysore Road. That measure has brought some respite. Similarly, tweaking the one-ways and two-ways would change things around, people say.

With widening, the landscape will change completely, roads will become busier, and the area will become more commercial and expensive. Infrastructure supplying the basics to households will have to rehauled and the expense will again have to be borne by the taxpayer. Locals oppose road widening citing these reasons.
“Let them use the existing roads well and put restrictions on traffic movement,” is all they ask.