'Give 145 cr or give Hebbal flyover to BBMP'

The cash-starved Bangalore Development Authority has asked the state government to hand over the Hebbal flyover to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.

While BDA officials had earlier made an oral request to the civic body and the urban development department, they have now written to the government and both those agencies. A copy of the letter is in DH’s possession.

“We’ve asked the government to either give us Rs 145 crore to build and maintain the flyover or hand it over to the BBMP,” B S Shivakumar, engineer member, BDA, told DH.

Like all flyovers and underpasses were transferred to the BBMP after their construction, the Hebbal flyover should also be transferred since it is located within BBMP limits, Shivakumar added.

The BDA has asked for Rs 145 crore to build two loops — one from the Kempegowda International Airport to the city and the other from KR Puram to the airport.

The task of maintaining the flyover has also fallen on the agency after cracks were reported on the structure.

The maintenance work is herculean since the structure was not kept up for the past 14 years.

The flyover hit the headlines recently as cracks developed due to water seepage and shoddy maintenance.

The flyover has been under the BDA’s care since 2003. The agency kept a hold on the structure as it had plans to build a steel flyover from Basava Circle to Hebbal and widen it to ease traffic bottlenecks. But the BBMP refused to take over the structure, citing financial constraints.

It was lakes the first time

This is the second time the BDA has turned to the government. The first time was when it turned over all the lakes in its custody.

The BDA and experts point out that the Hebbal flyover has higher passenger car per unit (PCU) of over 1,600 per hour, while the Indian Road Congress prescribes just 700. Work on building the airport loop has stalled since the BDA did not clear the Rs 25-crore bill to pay the contractor. Though piling has been completed, pillars and ducts are yet to be cast.

“This being the case, we have suggested the flyover be handed over to the BBMP. It is for the government to decide,” said another senior official.