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Road Development

Cabinet okays five signal-free roads, upgrade of seven others

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The Hindu             29.01.2014 

Cabinet okays five signal-free roads, upgrade of seven others

Special Correspondent

To ensure smooth flow of traffic, the State Cabinet has decided to develop five signal-free corridors in Bangalore.

A meeting of the State Cabinet held here on Tuesday decided to develop five signal-free roads — Dr. Rajkumar Road (Yeshwanthpur Circle to Okalipuram Road), Hosur Road (Central Silk Board to Vellara Junction); Outer Ring Road (Mysore Road junction to Central Silk Board); Old Airport Road (Vellara junction to Kundalahalli via Whitefield), and Mehkri Circle to Hope Farm via Old Madras Road.

Sources in the government told The Hindu it was decided to take up road improvement work near Vidhana Soudha. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. had been told to expedite the work near its project area.

To ease traffic

The Cabinet decided to upgrade seven major roads in the central business district and bids would be invited under Tender SURE (Specification for Urban Road Execution).

The roads to be upgraded are St. Mark’s Road, Residency Road, Richmond Road, Cunningham Road, Vittal Mallya Road, Commissariat Road and Museum Road. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) would upgrade these roads. The decision was taken to avoid traffic congestion in the central business district.

The BBMP had discussed the road projects in detail and negotiated the price for works.

The government has proposed to develop 45 roads in the city under the SURE. It was proposed to develop seven roads under package I, six roads under package II and five roads under package III.

A sum of Rs. 200 crore has been set aside for road-widening work in the 2012–13 BBMP budget.

 

Makeover for roads near pedestrian plaza

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The Hindu              28.01.2014 

Makeover for roads near pedestrian plaza

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

Roads around the proposed pedestrian plaza in T. Nagar will get a makeover with traffic and junction improvement works. Chennai Corporation has floated tenders for traffic improvement works around the proposed facility.

Work on stretches between G.N. Chetty Road and Venkatnarayana Road will commence as part of development of the plaza in T. Nagar. Roads such as Dr. Nair Road, Thanikachalam Road, North Boag Road, South Boag Road, Vijayaraghava Road, Raja Badar Street and Raman Street are also likely to get a makeover as part of the project.

The changes will facilitate optimum use of the proposed pedestrian plaza covering 1400 metres of Thyagaraya Road from Bashyam Road near Panagal Park to Anna Salai.

“Stretches that serve as link roads for the pedestrian plaza will be developed for easing traffic congestion in the commercial area. Some stretches will have roadside parking lots to help visitors park their vehicles. This requires support from residents. So we will make minor modifications to traffic flow without bothering residents,” said an official of Chennai Corporation. Normal traffic flow will not be possible on the plaza that will have space for seating.

The proposal includes development of the stretch as a busy intersection of art and commerce with animated and illuminated signs.

Tenders have been floated for work on roads near proposed facility in T. Nagar.

 

Santhome Road to be widened

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The Hindu               22.01.2014

Santhome Road to be widened

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

The 1.6-km-long Santhome High Road is all set to be the first among the major roads suffering from traffic bottlenecks to be widened by Chennai Corporation.

The civic body will soon commence preparation of a land plan schedule for widening the stretch from Light House to Foreshore Estate. Following the preparation of the schedule, the district collectorate will appoint a special officer for the land acquisition process.

“The land acquisition will take a long time. Transfer of Development Rights could be a good option if land owners cooperate. The widening can be done in a few months. Option is left to the land owners,” said an official of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA).

The crucial link for the city’s southern zones passes through wards 125 and 126. Councillors of the wards said there was heavy traffic congestion on the road and the widening would have a positive impact on the neighbourhood.

“Residents need a wider road. But the widening should be done without any loss to land owners,” said Vijaya Lakshmi, councillor of ward 126.

“The Corporation should convince the land owners of the importance of widening the road. Otherwise residents may not accept it,” said R. Bommi, councillor of ward 125.

As a number of educational institutions and heritage buildings are located on the road, the Corporation will also have to obtain clearance from the Heritage Conservation Committee of the Chennai metropolitan area.

At a council meeting last year, the Corporation had announced its plan to widen a number of the city’s major roads that witness traffic bottlenecks. The Corporation had already decided to use development rights certificates (DRCs) to facilitate implementation of its road-widening projects. The Corporation council will recommend issuing DRCs to property owners likely to be affected by widening of other roads including Nelson Manickam Road, VOC Road in George Town, Paper Mills Road, Kaliamman Koil Street and Red Hills High Road. DRCs entitle owners to claim additional built-up area (floor space index) in lieu of the plot of land handed over. Based on the recommendation of the Corporation, CMDA will issue DRCs to affected residents. 

The 1.6-km-long high road is the first among major roads suffering from traffic bottlenecks to be widened by Corporation.

 


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