Mysore Bank-KR Circle Rad to reopen by June

Work on Central College Metro station nearing completion

 Motorists travelling between Mysore Bank Circle and KR Circle can heave a sigh of relief in May-June as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) is expected to open the road for traffic by then. 

At present, the road remains closed because of work on the construction of Central College Metro station, which is part of the underground line between M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Cubbon Road and Majestic. 

BMRCL officials say the structural work for the underground station is over and only some civil and other work are left at the station. But for the remaining work, the BMRCL needs to move down some heavy equipment, for which it needs to have an opening on the road. 

Officials talk about opening the road for traffic “as soon as possible” but add that commuters will have to wait so far as heavy equipment is needed for finishing the work below the ground. 

“All the structural work has been completed and we plan to open the road by May-June. Before that, other works, which require heavy equipment to be moved down the road, will be over,” BMRCL MD Pradeep Singh Kharola told Deccan Herald. 

Because of the ongoing Metro work, only light motor vehicles are allowed from KR Circle via Government Arts College grounds adjoining the Civil Court Complex. This often causes traffic snarls during peak hours. Since the road is narrow, no heavy vehicles, including BMTC buses, are allowed. They instead proceed on Seshadri Road and Palace Road to reach Mysore Bank Circle from KR Circle and vice versa. 

Taking an alternative route not only consumes time but is also taxing in view of the heavy traffic flow, said Suresh, a regular commuter on this stretch. Allowing traffic on this stretch will ease congestion on adjoining roads. 

The stretch between KR Circle and Mysore Bank Circle has several educational institutions like the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Central College and Government Arts College, besides the Civil Court Complex, and government offices like Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL). 

The Metro work is already behind schedule. Work on the stretch was to be completed by September 2014. The BMRCL authorities have, however, given March 2015 deadline for the completion of the entire Phase-1.