BDA misses another deadline with arterial road delay

The Major Arterial Road (MAR) project proposed by the BDA, which was intended to boost connectivity to Kempegowda Layout, has hit a roadblock, the latest in a string of BDA projects which have missed deadlines.

According to the tender notification, the BDA had set September 2019 as the deadline for completion of the MAR. But the ground reality tells a different story: except leveling of 5-6 km of land, there has been no headway.

BDA sources said the main obstacle for the project is land acquisition. According to Prashanth, a resident of Kenchanpura, whose land has been marked for the project, said the BDA is not abiding by the agreement.

“BDA engineers are promising to allot the land at some other places. But according to the agreement, sites should be given on the same lands," he said.

"Though we are demanding lands near the main roads, BDA engineers are not ready for it. If we ask for those lands, BDA officials are demanding money from us."

However, BDA officials denied the allegations and said the project would be completed soon.

“The project has not stopped. The land acquisition process has been delayed. Soon after taking possession of lands, we will resume work,” said Shivashankar, Engineer Member, BDA.

On the other hand, members of Naada Prabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) Open Forum wanted the DPR to be redone. They also demanded the construction of flyovers and underpasses at upcoming major junctions on the MAR.

The proposed MAR will connect Mysuru Road to Magadi Road. The 10-km road, which will run parallel to NICE Road, will cut through the proposed Challaghatta Metro depot-cum-station with loops towards city and Mysuru along with four tunnels. The loop work for MAR is supposed to be taken up by the BMRCL, which has invited bids.

“It's been two months since we invited the bids. The loop construction of MAR will be taken ahead along with it,” B L Yeshwanth Chavan, Chief Public Relations Officer, BMRCL, told DH.