underpass

With rapidly growing vehicular numbers, traffic congestion in Bangalore seems unmanageable. Pedestrians, particularly senior citizens and physically challenged persons, are facing grave problems. Walking on the footpaths has become hazardous and an almost impossible task, due to narrow, uneven footpaths, footpaths littered with debris, garbage, vendors and in several cases non-existent! The only alternative is to walk on the roads, risking one's life. And, crossing the roads, especially with heavy traffic, is an adventure, few would dare attempt. To address the problem of increasing vehicular traffic, BDA, BBMP etc., understandably, focuses on widening roads, constructing flyovers and underpasses etc. This…

An under-construction underpass near Kaadubeesanahalli junction on Outer Ring Road (ORR) caved in a portion of road on Wednesday, Apr 11, resulting in huge traffic jam on outer ring Road for hours. Though there were no injuries sustained by anybody, the vehicular movement on the road beside the underpass was stopped. Sudden entry of cars and motorcycles from the barred first part of the under construction underpass. Pic: Abhishek Angad Earlier, traffic was not hit because a narrow passage beside the under-construction site was open for traffic in addition to the already functioning two-way underpass on the other side. Soon,…

According to BBMP's second quarter status report for JNNURM projects, 2009-10, the sanctioned cost was Rs 24.86 crores, with BBMP putting up 50% of the funds. The tender was awarded in March 2008, with the project scheduled to complete in January 2009 as per the Detailed Project Report. In the same report, BBMP gives reason for delay as:  "Sital conditions (faced hard rock which has to be blasted), traffic diversion are the reasons for delay. And another major problem is land acquisition." The Deccan Herald reported on September 13th about the Kadirenahalli underpass getting ready to be opened. It said…

The BBMP’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has approved grade separator projects and road widening across the 12 arterial corridors in Bengaluru. This is part of making these corridors signal-free. Earlier, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) and TAC member Praveen Sood had told Citizen Matters that 80 junctions in the 12 arterial corridors have been approved by TAC for grade separator projects. This was also confirmed by H Raja Simha, another TAC member and Technical Advisor to the BBMP Commissioner, and T N Chikkarayappa, BBMP’s Chief Engineer (Major Roads).BBMP has released to Citizen Matters the names of 60 of these junctions…

Arjun Tallam, in his forties, managing partner at Rasilaas Fine Dine restaurant in JP Nagar VII phase, Kotnoor Dinne main road says that three years ago when he opened the restaurant there wasn’t a proper road. Residents and traders of the area approached MLA Vijaykumar (Jayanagar, JP Nagar constituency) and got a road laid in 2007. Excited, he describes how the footfalls and profits grew once the road was done. Arjun Tallam, of Rasilaas Fine Dine restaurant in JP Nagar VII phase. Pic: Supriya Khandekar But his excitement dies down soon when he talks about the underpass construction that started…

The BDA is in the process of building two flyovers on the Outer Ring road near the Iblur and Agara junctions in south-east Bengaluru as part of their 'signal free' Outer Ring Road project.  This article presents some questions, comments and suggestions regarding both the grade separators, on the basis of the project plans obtained from the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in response to an RTI request by Citizen Matters. The flyovers have been described in an earlier article in Citizen Matters.  Two dedicated, access controlled, 11.5 feet wide bus lanes on either side of the central median of the…

There was soil dumped into one of the empty houses on the J P Nagar's 15th Cross Ring Road, a critical artery in the southern side of the city, at the intersection with the 24th Main Road. People were talking about soil testing happening in the area when suddenly the road was blocked and the traffic was diverted. It was after two weeks that a board was put up by the BBMP and it was understood that an underpass was being constructed. That was on 11 May 2008, another magic underpass under construction. The residents till then were clueless about…