No respite from traffic snarls on Mysore Road in sight

Traffic woes: Road widening and better coordination can make this stretch hassle-free

And this, subject to on time completion of  the ambitious road widening project, apart from the completion of the Metro construction and the BWSSB pipeline laying exercise.
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has embarked upon the road widening project from Sirsi Circle flyover up to Nayandalli junction. According to BBMP officials, the project may take anywhere between eight and nine months, considering shifting of heavy cables and pipelines along the road. If nothing else, the project may increase the chaos and confusion for motorists till its completion.

Civic agencies which have been asked to shift their utility lines two-and-a-half-months ago are still grappling with the situation aggravating the problem.

Here is what the three major civic agencies and service providers have to say:

The BWSSB officials are yet to ascertain the number of sanitary and water pipelines on the stretch taken up for proposed widening.

According to Chief Engineer, Venkatraju, the BWSSB is currently in the process of providing identifying the utility lines and sending an estimate to the Palike for the project.
“We are currently identifying the lines and provide an estimate of laying new lines in the area. The proposal should be ready in the next four to five days and will be sent to the BBMP,” he said.

Shifting of power lines

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) officials said the tenders for shifting of the electricity lines on Mysore road will be called for shortly.

According to officials, while the density of lines is low at the Sirsi flyover end, it is heavy at the Nayandalli junction.

“If the BBMP gives us the entire corridor by clearing the traffic on the road, we can finish the work in two to three weeks after the tenders are finalised,” said the official.

The Bescom will be laying new lines at the side of the stretch on Mysore Road and will discontinue the supply of electricity through the old lines drawn over the middle of the road.

BSNL woes

Perhaps the biggest challenge remains with the Bharath Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) which is falling short of new cables to be laid for the entire Mysore Road stretch.

According to BSNL officials with problems already piling up owing to disorganised cutting of lines along the stretch, the company is finding it increasingly difficult to manage the show. “We are not getting any kind of remuneration from the BBMP for laying the new lines and there is already shortfall of cables in our division. It is a massive uphill task when the Palike starts the road widening work along the stretch,” informed a BSNL official.

The BSNL states that it will commence the work only after the completion of road widening project. According to the correspondence between the two agencies, the Palike will be providing a duct along both sides of the Mysore Road once the project is completed for the BSNL to lay new cables or shift the old ones. With no clear answers in sight, residents and motorists, alike,  are likely to face immense hardships through the year till the project ends.