Funding constraints or corruption? BBMP leaves underpasses incomplete

Cash-strapped BBMP has abandoned constructing two underpasses proposed decades ago on Old Airport Road.

Though the grade separation work at Kundalahalli junction is almost complete, commuters are unlikely to escape the traffic nightmares anytime soon since similar works at two other junctions on the stretch is far from completion.

In its effort to create a signal-free corridor, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had planned three underpasses on Old Airport Road (Kundalahalli, Suranjandas Road and Wind Tunnel Road) at an estimated cost of Rs 135 crore. The project, planned during Siddaramaiah’s chief ministerial tenure, was pushed to the backburner due to challenges in acquiring land, including government-owned.

The BBMP finished 50 per cent work at Suranjandas Road but works at Wind Tunnel Road are progressing at snail’s pace. The works had constricted space in both junctions, leaving vehicles and pedestrians to operate in a dangerously narrow passageway. Approval on the BBMP’s request for Rs 13 crore additional funding in July 2020 is still pending.

“The overall cost went up as the work of shifting the KPTCL line from the project site was handed over to us. There was also an instruction to install a new water pipeline after shifting the old line. Both these works were not included in the original estimates,” a BBMP official said.

Officials said they began work based on decisions taken at a high-level meeting headed by the chief secretary. The technical advisory committee also approved the revised estimates.

Senior BBMP officials, including former Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, inspected the work site at least twice. He announced July 2022 as the deadline when he last inspected the site.

Where is the money?

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Bengaluru president Mohan Dasari wondered where the money earmarked for important projects had gone.

“The Ejipura flyover has been abandoned. It is the same condition of the signal-free corridor project on Old Airport Road. This shows the pathetic planning of the BBMP,” he said, expressing suspicions that officials could be delaying the projects to make a windfall out of cost escalation.