Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Road Development

Roads widen, tempers flare

Friday, 11 June 2010 06:56 administrator
Print PDF

Deccan Chronicle     11.06.2010

Roads widen, tempers flare

June 10: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s ambitious proposal to widen around 216 roads in the city has hit a legal hurdle with some residents filing petitions against acquisition of their land for the project. Estimated to cost Rs 3,248, the civic body has identified about 37,000 properties falling along the roads for demolition. About 10,500 buildings would have to be razed to make space for bigger and wider roads. The civic body has chosen the more viable Transferable Development Rights (TDR) to compensate property owners as monetary compensation would cost BBMP Rs 10,000 crore, said an official.

But the anger over the numerous road widening projects is growing in Bengaluru with residents protesting against the double standards followed by the government and BBMP. Citizens say they have to pay the price for the lack of foresightedness on the part of the authorities while planning such projects which could take away the only hard earned property they own. They want the government to put such projects on hold till infrastructure projects like the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), NICE corridor and Namma Metro and mono rail are complete. Once these projects are ready, traffic congestion will come down drastically making roads less crowded, says A. Vidya Shankar, president of Bangalore South Residents Welfare and Cultural Association. Other alternatives like developing Tier-II cities and taluk headquarters by investing more money in township projects and industries could be explored which will tackle the issue of unchecked growth of Bengaluru, he said.

“If the government still feels the need to widen the roads, residents will not object to it,” he said. Residents of south Bengaluru alleged that minister R. Ashok, who is in charge of the city, had promised to drop road widening projects to garner votes during the BBMP election. Once the BJP gained a majority in the BBMP council, the minister and the government breached the trust of the public and failed to keep up their promise, Mr Vidya Shankar said. Many residents along the stretch from Silk Board Junction to Mysore Road, were given Transferable Development Rights (TDR) forms as the existing 100-feet road was sought to be widened to 150 feet displacing several senior citizens and hapless people, he pointed out.

Even as most people are yet to understand the concept of TDR completely, residents of BTM Layout, JP Nagar, Ilyas Nagar and Banashankari 3rd Stage found their houses had already been marked for demolition ahead of the work undertaken by BBMP, he said.Leo Saldanha, coordinator, Environment Support Group (ESG), points at the long-term consequences of road widening with the main casualty being pedestrian safety. The widened Bellary Road witnessed 54 deaths between May and December 2008. He questioned the need for spending so much money on road widening when other more serious issues such as power, water and education need more attention.

Last Updated on Friday, 11 June 2010 07:15
 

Complex way to change Kalasipalya

Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:05 administrator
Print PDF

Deccan Herald      10.06.2010

Infrastructure: Road-widening will snatch our livelihood, say shopkeepers
Complex way to change Kalasipalya
G Manjusainath, Bangalore, June 9, DHNS:

Every Bangalorean who has been to the chaotic Kalasipalya private bus stand area ought to heave a big sigh of relief, if this project becomes a reality. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has assigned the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to build a huge complex at the spot, and as expected, caused a flutter among the shopkeepers there.

This ambitious project is the biggest among the 12 new markets proposed for the City. But until this comes up, people would have to endure the chaos and mess created by the private and KSRTC buses parked here. The site turns into a virtual hell during rainy season with mud from the bus stand spilling over everywhere, making the road slippery and causing accidents.

The proposed new complex is expected to come up in an area of around 5 acres or 20,777 square metres at an estimated cost of Rs 222 crores. For the money-starved BBMP, the good news is that BMTC will take up the construction.

‘Pride of Bangalore’

“It would be a mega structure with all amenities. We hope it would become the ‘Pride of Bangalore’. The building will not merely be a bus stand but will also have a shopping complex,” explained a BBMP officer. The Palike officials will sit with BMTC authorities to select a plan and decide on other modalities of the project.

Despite its obvious benefits, the project has become a cause of worry for the shopkeepers on the narrow stretch of Kalasipalya. Their main concern is that the project would push BBMP to take up the long-pending road widening project in the area. Once the Palike goes ahead with the plan to widen the road from the existing 40 feet to 80 feet, they are sure they would have to give up their properties.

Yet, even these traders are sure the new project would give them a respite from the dust, dirt and regular traffic jam, although they fear this would also snatch the livelihood of many people.

A local resident, Ahmed Ali said there are around 150 small shops on both sides of the Kalasipalya road connecting it with Kanakapura Road. “These shops are too small in size and if they are gone, people will come on the streets. The BBMP should ensure that losers of private property should get space in that complex,” said Ahmed Ali.

For the record, the Palike had carried out a demolition drive around a year ago to vacate many of the shops on its land.

NOTE:

BDA will build four shopping complexs in the city, while BMTC will construct the Kalasipalya complex.

PROJECTS:

Malleshwaram Complex, Sampige Road:
At a cost of Rs. 76,3 crore, this Complex will be built by BDA in 1.64 acres. The structure will be a multi-utility commercial complex.

Seshadripuram Complex:
To be built by BDA, this project will cover 4096 Sq mtrs at a cost of Rs 41 crore. Amenities include shops and cellar parking.

KR Puram Market Complex:
Spread over 4.27 acres, this  complex will cost Rs. 172.86 crore to build for the BDA. The structure will have a multi-storeyed commercial complex and parking.

Kalasipalya Complex:
The 5.27 acre complex will be built by BMTC at an estimated cost of Rs. 222 crore. This will be the biggest of the 12 complexes.

 

Kalachowkie road cave-in: 3 months on, BMC inches towards completion of repairs

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 11:23 administrator
Print PDF

Indian Express     02.06.2010

Kalachowkie road cave-in: 3 months on, BMC inches towards completion of repairs

Stuti Shukla Tags : Kalachowkie road cave-in, mumbai Posted: Wed Jun 02 2010, 23:42 hrs

Mumbai: More than three months after a portion of the cement-concrete road at Kalachowkie caved in, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is finally inching towards the completion of the repairs of the road and the work on the underlying storm water drainage. The road will reopen to traffic by June 7.

However, the civic body will now replace the 2000-sq m excavated stretch at Shravan Yashwant Chowk with paver blocks instead of concrete since BMC claims that it does not have the time to concretise the road before monsoon. Following directions from municipal commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya, the BMC has sped up repair works by laying paver blocks which are not usually suitable for junctions with heavy traffic.

A crater measuring 10 ft by 20 ft and over 10 ft deep was formed on February 23 when a cement-concrete slab caved in at the busy junction, off the P D’Mello Road. The cause of the incident was attributed to continuous leakage in the 125-year-old brick masonry storm water drain running underground. The road has two bus stops on either sides and has heavy vehicular flow.

Major part of the junction has been cordoned off and traffic has been diverted for over the past 100 days.

Now, as the BMC prepares to wind up repairs on the road before the onset of monsoon, the entire excavated stretch will have to be replaced with paver blocks which are inferior in quality as compared to cement concrete road. The reason, there is no time to lay a new cement concrete road in the area as it will take more than 15 days. The BMC fears that monsoon will hit the city much before that.

 An official from the roads department said the excavated portion is 6 metre deep and the department will not be able to consolidate the ground so soon to lay the concrete road. “While laying a concrete road, a process called ‘curing’ has to be followed where-in the cement-concrete is allowed to dry up for two weeks before it is thrown open to traffic. Since there is no time now, we have to lay paver-blocks,” said the official.

Asked if the road will be concretised after monsoons, the official said, “There is no possibility in the near future owing to fund crunch. For some years, the road will remain with paver-blocks,” he said.

The repair of the storm water drain, excavation and paver-block laying have together cost the BMC around Rs.4 crore. Incidentally, the road happens to be the first road ever to be concretised in the city in 1983.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 02 June 2010 11:25
 
More Articles...


Page 124 of 146