Sampige road: A move minus long-term planning

While the apartment owners are upset, the green brigade aren’t impressed by the prospect of losing another row of fully grown trees on this stretch. The BBMP now faces the uphill task of saving 36 trees which mark the gateway to Malleswaram.

The Palike has indicated that it could widen the Sampige Road around the trees. The plan is to increase the width of the road by another 15 feet, for easing the traffic chaos on the stretch. While many residents are open to the idea of widening without chopping down the trees, it remains to be seen if the widened road will become an exclusive entrance for shoppers visiting the Mall.

The BBMP waited three years to get the road-widening project going. But now, it is apparently caught in a Catch-22 situation. If widened, the road may no longer be taken by the commuters entering Srirampura, since an alternative road behind Mantri Square, yet to be constructed, will facilitate it.

The construction of the road is one of the 21 conditions laid down by the BBMP before giving Mantri the occupancy certificate (OC).

Then there is the prospect of the 45-floor residential complex, proposed to be built by Mantri Developers, right behind their mall. While the Sampige Road widening may provide an immediate relief to residents of Malleswaram, it appears the Palike hasn’t taken into account the long-term consequences that could arise once the residential complex comes up. 

Although the deal between Mantri and BBMP was struck quite sometime back, the alternative road is yet to take shape. Reason: the builders are awaiting some progress from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), which is to erect pillars there for the Namma Metro project.

But sources in the BMRCL say that it is up to Mantri and BBMP to build the road. They couldn’t explain why the new road has not emerged so far. On inquiring why the pillars for the project are not raised yet - Mantri is waiting for that to begin construction of the road - the BMRCL comes up with this statement: “Our project is going on according to plan and it is independent of the road.”

BMRCL spokesperson B L Y Chavan told Deccan Herald: “The responsibility for that road lies with the BBMP and not us.”

It is now said that after an inter-departmental tussle at the Palike, between the zonal engineering division and the Major Roads Department, the former will now be responsible to carry out the road-widening project.