Cubbon Park to bear brunt of Nrupatunga Road closure

Cubbon Park walkers and motorists dread increased traffic snarls with the BBMP planning to divert traffic towards the State Central Library and Siddalingaiah Circle for the implementation of TenderSURE work on Nrupatunga Road.

BBMP officials, on Monday said white topping of the road, which is part of the TenderSURE work, will begin in a day or two. "The white topping will be executed between the stretch of KR Circle and Police Corner at the end of Nrupatunga Road. Preparatory work is in full swing and we will install barricades to divert traffic before the work commences. Nrupatunga Road will be partially open only to heavy vehicles," said BBMP chief engineer K T Nagaraj.

According to BBMP officials, light vehicles coming from Sheshadri Road (KR Circle) and Ambedkar Veedhi will have to reach Hudson Circle via Cubbon Park Road and the State Central Library. Similarly, vehicles from Hudson Circle heading towards Vidhana Soudha will have to use Siddalingaiah Circle on Kasturba Road, once the work commences.

The Palike sources said that the diversions have been cleared by the traffic police and the horticulture department already. BBMP officials said that it would take at least 40 days to complete the work.

President, Cubbon Park Walkers Association, S Umesh said the association will protest if vehicles are allowed inside the State Central Library road. He added: "The library is inside Cubbon Park. Besides walkers, even people visiting the library will be affected by air and noise pollution,’’ he said, asking the traffic police and Palike chalk out alternative routes.

A traffic policeman from Cubbon Park traffic police limits said: "Many ambulances get stuck at the State Central Library junction. It will be a difficult situation now.”The parking area inside Cubbon Park, near the city civil court, has been shifted to Banappa Park on KG Road to ensure smooth vehicular movement, said BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad in a press release on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic-east) Abhishek Goyal, when contacted, said traffic snarls are inevitable. He added: “We granted permission to the Palike a week ago for the diversions.”