Nayandahalli junction turns nightmare for road users

The tardy pace of multiple construction work being undertaken by Bangalore Development Authority and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited at Nayandahalli Junction on Mysore Road has turned into a nightmare for residents abutting the area. 

Work has been on at the junction since 2010 resulting in severe air and noise pollution besides leading to chaotic traffic making life miserable for the residents and riders who have to take the stretch en route to various destinations in City. Despite a litany of complaints to the powers that be, the work has not picked up pace with the affected wondering whether it would be completed at all, bringing peace and quietude around.

The Nayandahalli junction, which is a meeting point of outer ring road and Mysore Road, presents a picture of total chaos due to congregation of large number of vehicles and, the ongoing work on flyovers to ease traffic by BDA and Namma Metro station and rail lines.

Projects delayed

The work to construct multi-level flyovers by BDA began in early 2010.

The flyovers being constructed to ensure free traffic movement to vehicles heading towards Mysore has missed several deadlines.

The construction of both flyovers was scheduled to be complete by March 2012. To add to the problem of vehicle users, constructions on both sides have reduced the road width and overuse of road has damaged it badly. 

Though the State Pollution Control Board in early 2013 issued a notice to BDA, BBMP and BMRCL, to take effective measures to prevent pollution, the solution seems to be a distant cry. “I had issued notices to prevent dust at all their construction sites, but during my inspection, BMRCL officials told me that they are not contributing to the dust as their construction is above 20 ft and blame BBMP for it,” said KSPCB Chairperson Vaman Acharya.

BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola, on his part, said construction of BMRCL at ground level was complete.

As for KSPCB’s notice, he averred that adequate measures have been taken to prevent dust by cordoning off the construction site. A BBMP official held BDA responsible for damaging the road at this junction. Neither BDA commissioner nor the chief engineer was available for comment.