RoB will avert traffic jam on Tekal Road, say residents

Residents along Tekal Road in the city have demanded that a railway over bridge (RoB) or an underpass should be constructed at the railway gate to avoid traffic jam in the coming days. 

As the work on broad gauge is under progress and the ROBs are being constructed in many places, the residents here have decided to draw the attention of the railway authorities for the need of an ROB on the busy Tekal Road. They have even formed an association – Tekal Road Railway Samiti – for the purpose. 

The tracks have been laid for the Kolar-Chikkaballapur railway line and even trial runs have begun. Though the residents rejoice the launch of the much-delayed train services, they are cautious about the problems that would be associated with it. 

These areas are already suffering inconvenience due to air pollution, dust and traffic jams due to ongoing drainage and road works. A flyover is being constructed near Clock Tower and hundreds of vehicles, including trucks and buses, ply on the route that connects Bangalore and Malur.

If the railway gate closes even for five minutes, Tekal Road will witness chock-a-block with the vehicles lining up till Venugopala Pushkarani in Tekal Circle. As Tekal Road is a link to the National Highway 4, the volume of traffic is also high. The traffic gridlock on Tekal Road will have cascading effects on the movement of vehicles in the surrounding areas, the residents caution. 

The members of the committee have urged for construction of a railway over bridge or an underpass as a precaution. They said a memorandum has been submitted to the ministers and the deputy commissioner. 

The residents are hopeful that their representative at the Centre, K H Muniyappa, being himself the Minister of State for Railways would fulfil their demand.