Tagore Circle underpass work suspended

A decision on when to resume the project will be taken once a view is taken by all concerned civic agencies some time next week.

“We are not expecting any work to commence in the next three-four days, pending the meeting,” a top official told Deccan Herald.

However, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike maintained it was awaiting some cable-laying work.
Otherwise, work was on schedule, it said.

With public opposition mounting on the project, which did not consult the people, officials are hinting at a change in approach to the construction process.

A more holistic and better co-ordinated construction is being envisaged. Public mood has found an echo in traffic experts.

For instance, State Government advisor on traffic, transport and infrastructure M N Srihari strongly opposed the project.

“I feel this underpass is not at all required. Based on traffic flow, even after five years we may not require it. If this underpass comes up then its status would be similar to the flyover near the National College, which is hardly used,”  Srihari told Deccan Herald.

Taking a dig at the project planners, he said: “If we are so anxious to spend public money then infrastructure projects can be taken up at Peenya, South End Circle and Minerva Circle.”
Bogus data

Srihari also described as “bogus,” the so-called statistics of 12,000-odd passenger car units (PCUs) at Tagore Circle.

“For infrastructure projects such as underpasses and flyovers built under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the basic need is that passenger car units must be around 10,000.
At Tagore Circle, PCUs are hardly 4,500 to 5,000,” Srihari said.