Rs 180-cr City plan to ease railway crossing jams

41 RUBs and ROBs proposed to solve traffic choking at level crossings

The Railways have given the green signal for eight RUBs and have already paid the initial deposit of Rs 30 crore by the Palike. The construction will be carried out completely by the Railways due to the technical expertise at their disposal with the BBMP only providing the monetary support.

Also, it is learnt that 29 more RUB/ROB are under different stages of approval. The total cost for the construction of all the 41 RUB/ROB is estimated to be around Rs 180 crore.

Priority basis

Another four RUB/ROB has been approved the project estimates are to be provided by the South Western Railways (SWR) to begin the projects. The projects have been taken up on a priority basis and will take at least two years to complete each of the 12 RUB/ROB.

The first eight of the 12 RUB/ROBs approved are at Kasturinagar RPC Layout, Bapujinagar, Allalasandra, Sampige Road-Srirampura, Lingarajapuram, 11th cross Malles-
waram and at K R Puram near the Cable Stayed Bridge.

Meanwhile, the four other RUBs whose design has been approved by the Railways and the State Government are placed at Bapujinagara Level Crossing (LC) No 5, Kengeri Railway Station, Kodigehalli and Sarjapura.

The Palike is  awaiting the estimates for commencing the projects for the Bapujinagara LC No 5 and Kengeri Railway Station RUB.

 Sources in the BBMP say that work has already commenced on three RUBs at Kasturinagara, Bapujinagara and Allalasandra. The Palike’s 2009-10 budget estimated the cost at Rs 75 lakh per project, but the actual cost will only be determined on completion of the projects.

For the year 2010-11, the Palike has earmarked Rs 64.5 crore for the construction of the RUB/ROB in its Budget. The construction of the 12 RUBs in the first phase, to commence shortly, was estimated in the last budget to cost nearly Rs 16.5 crore.

On the other hand, estimates for four RUB/ROB are to be cleared by the State Government. These include the RUBs at Baiyappanahalli, Hoodi, FCI Godown and RPC Layout LC No.4. The Railways are to further approve 13 more RUBs across the City with another six, whose feasibility study is underway by the consultants, to be submitted by the BBMP.

The Palike is also trying to appoint consultants for seven more RUBs and a small railway gate at Kadugodi in the coming months.