After a year of dilly-dallying, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities finally revealed their plans for Sankey Road on Saturday. Deputy Mayor S Harish told reporters that widening of the road was necessary to meet the needs of a growing Bangalore.
“We are not doing it arbitrarily. The proposal exists in the revised master plan and also the comprehensive development plan for Bangalore,” said Harish.
He clarified that only 19 trees would be felled in the second phase of the project from Bhashyam Circle to Malleshwaram 18th Cross. He also made it clear that 526 trees, cited in the list submitted by the executive engineer to Palike Commissioner Siddaiah, would not be axed. Stella Maris School “will not be affected although the land where the school is located was leased out by the BBMP... and it has encroached upon 12,000 sq ft.”
“To save trees and assets, we reduced the width of the road from 31 metres to 27 metres. We also have concern for the environment, but widening the road is essential.
It’s a case of now or never,” said Harish. Only three houses will be razed and the losers are ready to part with their land. He also clarified that the road widening work will not touch the stretch from Cauvery Junction to Bhashyam Circle.
Harish said: “There are some NGOs who think they are the system though they are merely part of the system. They cannot dictate terms to us. They think they are above town planners and engineers and call the project unscientific without any basis.”
A survey conducted by the Director of Urban Land Transport suggests that every 24 hours 43,645 passenger car units (PCU) run on the stretch from Cauvery Theatre Junction to Yeshwanthpur.
“This also means that 3,367 PCU per hour run on this stretch (between the Cauvery Theatre junction and Maramma Temple junction), which is considered too much and warrants widening of the road,” said Harish.
The project cost had escalated from Rs 6.5 crore to Rs 8 crore. Harish said he does not have the name of the contractor who will execute the work. He said a “passover” is imminent at Bhashyam Circle.
“The passover can be from Sankey Road to Malleshwaram 18th Cross or from Sadashivanagar to Vyalikawal though we are in favour of the second option,” said Harish.
The Residents’ Welfare Associations of Malleshwaram and Vyalikawal and Sankey Road, which have been opposing the move, will hold a meeting on Sunday at 7 am at Sankey Tank Park to decide their future course of action.
It is also learnt that despite the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) assurance to reduce the width of the road keeping environmental aspects in view, the “tree-saving measure’ will not stop felling of hundreds of trees from Bhashyam Circle to Yeshwanthapura, it is learnt.
BBMP sources say at least 350 trees will be felled.
