Commuting on Magadi Road, especially through the Karnataka Housing Board junction on the state highway, has become a major challenge for road users.
The BBMP is constructing an underpass there. The work has not only slowed down traffic, but also worsened the road condition. At least 500 metres of the road is filled with potholes and is not asphalted.
The BBMP is constructing a four-lane bi-directional underpass at the KHB-Basaveshwaranagar main road junction. Work started in April 2015 at a cost of Rs 24.76 crore.
The project is delayed by over six months. Once completed, traffic will move signal-free from Magadi Road towards West of Chord Road. There will also be a free left turn from Magadi Road to Basaveshwaranagar main road.
“The dug-up road becomes a slush pool after every rain. Many two-wheeler riders fall down and get injured. This is common at night as streetlights are few here,” said Astha N, a commuter. Due to the ongoing work, the KHB bus stop has been removed. The BMTC and private buses stop haphazardly on the road which adds to the traffic woes.
Those catching buses have to run to board them as the next bus stop is nearly a kilometre away. There is no space left for pedestrians to walk. The whole area is full of mud and dust, said Govindaraju, a pedestrian.
Shops selling eatables and restaurants in the vicinity are suffering losses because of the dust pollution. The police manning the traffic there also suffer from health problems. They are forced to cover their mouths and run away whenever buses arrive and raise dust. BBMP engineer-in-chief M R Venkatesh admitted that work was delayed.
He said that this junction needed an underpass because the passenger car units were over 10,000 vehicles during peak hours there. He promised to look into the problems of commuters and said the project would be completed only by December-end.