Road Development

GHMC hunts for road network consultant

Monday, 14 December 2009 10:18 administrator

The New Indian Express 14.12.2009

GHMC hunts for road network consultant

As a majority of the roads in Greater Hyderabad are irregular and in bad shape, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to engage a consultant to develop a uniform, durable and safe road network with minimum maintenance requirement during its design life. For this purpose, it is carrying out a systematic study as per IRC Guidelines. The proposed consultancy job will provide a scientific road map for the GHMC for the next 10 to 15 years.

The appointed consultant will identify the inherent defects in the existing roads,

forecast the traffic, assess the remaining life of pavements for the current and future traffic demands. The consultant firm would suggest remedial measures to rectify defects, strengthen existing pavements to cater to a future traffic demand

for a period of at least 10 to 15 years. Consequent to the formation of the

GHMC, the scope of providing civic infrastructure in tune with other metropolitan cities has increased enormously with particular emphasis on the development of road networks. Speaking to Expresso, GHMC officials

said that since the road network is a vital lifeline for any metropolis, the corporation has embarked on a focused long-term perspective study on roads in a multi-dimensional approach. Presently, the GHMC spends Rs 800 crore every year on the road sector. This huge expenditure is being incurred every year purely on certain technical assumptions and on an ad hoc basis, resulting

in recurring maintenance costs. Further, there is scope for investment of Rs

1,488 crore in the next four years on the road sector for the GHMC. GHMC officials said that the decision to appoint a consultant has become necessary as traffic has increased manifold beyond geometric progression in the recent years. The actual pace of development of road network within the GHMC limits is not meeting the demand requirements. The assignment would include recording the existing inventory of road assets, assess the condition of existing roads, footpaths, drains, determining the life of existing pavements. The firm would need to improve the geometric properties of roads and junctions, identify and eliminate bottlenecks along the roads, examine areas prone to waterlogging and propose suitable drainage measures. The other assignments will include labelling,

notation of roads, review of available traffic data on volume and forecasts. The

consultant would need to conduct hourly classified traffic volume count for a period of three days at mid-block locations

Last Updated on Monday, 14 December 2009 10:21

Preparatory survey held for IG Road widening

Friday, 11 December 2009 03:50 administrator

Deccan Herald 11.12.2009

All building within 50 ft distance from middle of the road may be pulled down

Preparatory survey held for IG Road widening

Chikmagalur, Dec 10, DH News Service:

PWD and Town Municipal Council Engineer conducted a preparatory survey for extension of IG Road here on Thursday.


The officials inspected all the buildings built on either sides of the 2 km long road from Kathri Maramma Temple to Bolarameshwara temple during the survey works. A meeting was convened by Deputy Commissioner on Wednesday wherein both Council and PWD officials were directed to collect details (area, year of construction etc)of all the buildings located at a 50 ft distance from the middle of the road and submit a report within three days. PWD has already collected details about the buildings which were built during 1955 when the area was known as Basavanahalli. According to the old blueprint, buildings were located at a distance of 28 metres from the main road, 15 metres at Hanumanthappa circle, 11 metres at NMC circle, 13 metres at Mathias tower, 12 metres at bus stand and 16 metres at Thogari Hankal circle. Later on, the buildings were constructed close to the road and off late many buildings have been built encroaching the drainage space. PWD has hence decided to go for expansion of IG road keeping the old blueprint in mind and clearing off the buildings constructed within 50 ft distance from the middle of the road. A large number of buildings will be pulled down if the project is undertaken. Project plan According to the sources, the electricity poles will be placed on the middle of the road, with the 3 ft wide divider. The roads will be constructed on either sides for about 24 ft. About 12 ft has been earmarked for parking space on both sides of the road along with 5 ft space for foot path. According to this plan the road will be 89 ft wide.

‘Orphan road’ to get a makeover

Thursday, 10 December 2009 11:03 administrator

Hindustan Times 10.12.2009

‘Orphan road’ to get a makeover

'Anaath (Orphan) Road', a key thoroughfare in Millennium City Gurgaon, has finally got a guardian angel.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) recently took over this road along with 40 others from the Public Works Department (PWD).

And soon, it is getting a complete makeover.

"Next week, work will start on the road. It will be a 10-metre wide road. It will be probably cemented," said VK Gupta, engineer-in-Chief, MCG.

This road in Sector 18 hogged the headlines after HT highlighted its condition and how no government department was willing to own it.

Major corporate and multinational offices such as Siemens, Pearl Pet, HCL, Tupperware, Lumax, Orient Craft, Agilent Technologies, Munjal Showa are located on both sides.

Residents and corporates fought for this 2.5-km-long road for about six years and then christened it 'Anaath (Orphan) Road' on April 30.

In the parliamentary polls in May, the road became an issue with corporates appealing to their employees to boycott the elections.

Just 180 metres are in a motorable condition and the rest was totally useless.

After HT highlighted the bad condition of the road, former finance minister Birender Singh intervened and the road was handed over to the PWD.

However, the going was not easy, as the PWD had handed over all its 40 roads, but this one, to the MCG.

"PWD officials said only their department would construct this road for reasons known to them. We took the matter to Finance Commissioner (Town & Country Planning) S.S. Dhillon who intervened and ordered transfer of this road to MCG," said an industrialist on the condition of anonymity.

Superintending engineer PWD, RS Yadav, refused to comment on the issue.

Last Updated on Thursday, 10 December 2009 11:04

Upgrading of 141-km road to cost Rs. 240 cr.

Tuesday, 08 December 2009 06:48 administrator

The Hindu 08.12.2009

Upgrading of 141-km road to cost Rs. 240 cr.

Special Correspondent

Waghdhari-Ripponpalli highway will connect three neighbouring States

Government has agreed to contribute more funds for the project: Patil
The road passes through Gulbarga and is a link to Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh

Gulbarga: The former Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council B.R. Patil has said that the proposal for the development and upgrading of the interstate highway connecting Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh passing through Gulbarga district from Waghdhari in Maharashtra to Ripponpalli in Andhra Pradesh has reached a decisive stage. Once it gets the Government’s nod, arrangements for funds to take up the project would be made. Denying the allegations of the Aland MLA Subash Guttedar that he (Mr. Patil) was creating hurdles for the upgrade of the Waghdhari-Ripponpalli interstate highway, Mr. Patil told presspersons here on Monday that when he was an MLA he had taken up the issue with the then Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He had requested him to give approval for the proposal.

Mr. Patil said it was Mr. Siddaramaiah who ordered the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd. to assign the work of conducting a survey and to an agency.

The then Government had asked the corporation to prepare a project report to upgrade the road under the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) model. A sum of Rs. 60 lakh was paid by the Government to a particular agency to conduct the survey and prepare the project report, claimed Mr. Patil.

Later, according to him, the Government had floated tenders thrice but no contractor had come forward to take up the construction of the road under the BOT. The organisations that evinced interest in the project demanded that the State Government bear the total cost of the project. The Government has now agreed to increase its contribution through Viability Gap Funding (VGP) for the project, thus clearing the last hurdle for the work to be taken up, he added.

Mr. Patil added that three three companies, including Hyderabad-based GVR Company and MRM Company and the Chennai-based Pratisha Company have evinced interest in taking up the work. They have sent proposals to the Government. He added that the technical bid for the upgrade of the Waghdari-Ripponpalli interstate highway was completed and only the financial bid has to be taken up. Mr Patil said that the financial bid would be taken up after the clearance by the high power committee headed by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa. The upgrade of the 141-km highway is estimated to cost Rs. 240 crore, he added.

Alliance views

In reply to a query, Mr. Patil said that the Congress should not have formed an alliance with the JD (S) for contesting Legislative Council poll from local authorities’ constituencies. However, he added that he would campaign with JD (S) leaders and abide by the directions of the party high command in this matter.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 December 2009 06:50

Hosur Road elevated corridor now ready

Monday, 07 December 2009 09:23 administrator

The New Indian Express 07.12.2009

Hosur Road elevated corridor now ready

Express News Service

BANGALORE: The elevated expressway between Central Silk Board Junction and Electronic city is now almost ready and according to sources the promoters are trying to get Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to inaugurate it.

The elevated highway is being promoted by Bangalore Elevated Tollway Limited (BETL) and was supposed to be completed by March 2009.

Sources say the delay in completing the project happened because Maytas Infra Ltd, one of the partners of BETL, was facing a financial crisis for sometime and there was a delay in acquiring the land for the project.

The highway, a first of its kind in the state, is one of the longest elevated highways in India.

The four-lane-elevated highway, which has a length of 10 km and is 15 metres wide will Rs 880 crore.

It will ensure unhindered and signal-free travel on both the directions.

The promoters are planning to charge Rs 10 for a two-wheeler, Rs 30 for a car and Rs 80 for a bus for using the highway once in any direction.

At present, lighting works and minor construction activities are going on. One of the ramps that connects the highway to Neelsandra road is under construction.

The elevated corridor will be declared ready for use after the National Highway Authority of India and an independent consultant certify it ready for use.

The government has entrusted the task of maintaining the entire stretch of road from Attibele to Silk Board Junction to BETL.

The BETL is also constructing a flyover each at Chandapura and Attibelle and both of them are expected to be completed in another five months. BETL will also be charging a user fee for using the road.

Last Updated on Monday, 07 December 2009 10:07

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