After 15 years, ten flyovers to be repaired

BBMP, BDA to begin work in January, traffic likely to be hit

After 15 years of construction of flyovers in the City, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to take up repair and maintenance works of ten flyovers from January.

A decision to this effect was taken following a report submitted by City-based engineers and consultants from the Institutions of Engineers and Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers. The report was prepared and submitted to the BBMP and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in August this year.

BBMP chief engineer, Road Infrastructure, S Somashekar said, “As many as ten flyovers which need immediate maintenance and repairs have been shortlisted. Works will be carried out at a cost of Rs 12 crore.

Core work orders for Central Silk Board, Richmond Circle, Dairy Circle and Jayadeva flyovers have been issued and work will begin in January. This will also include major resurfacing, painting, expansion joint repair and asphalting. Project approval for National College, Lingarajapuram, Banaswadi, Anand Rao Circle, Mathikere and Domlur flyovers is awaited.”

“This is for the first time that we are doing flyover maintenance work and after 15 years of their construction. It was not done earlier because we did not feel the necessity,” he added.

Traffic to be affected

The maintenance and repair work will result in slow moving traffic and road diversions in most parts of the City.

According to Indian Road Congress Rules and Department of Transportation, United Kingdom Rules, all flyovers, bridges, underpasses and grade separators require regular inspection every five years. And based on the inspection report, regular maintenance is mandatory. Inspection should be conducted by experts and special engineering maintenance sections in each department. But BBMP and BDA do not have such sections.

Flyovers were inspected only in July this year by consultants and engineers who built them by involving the BBMP and the BDA. “We visited many flyovers, but the main focus was Central Silk Board and Richmond Circle flyovers because they need immediate attention. The report detailing problems and solutions was submitted to the government officials,” said a City-based consultant, who works with BBMP and BDA.

Maintenance works at Sirsi Circle flyover was completed only recently. This work was undertaken 16 years after its construction and the BBMP, with the help of consultants and engineers, took two years to complete it. This was undertaken because traffic movement had begun to get severely affected due to faults at joints.

BDA too chips in

BDA engineer member P N Nayak said that they had also begun the inspection and maintenance of flyovers and grade separators. “It has been brought to our notice that one of the loops of the Domlur flyover has problems and we have decided to do immediately repair it at the cost of Rs 1.2 lakh,” he said.

“All the BDA-built flyovers have been handed over to BBMP and it is their responsibility to maintain them. But looking at the urgency here, we have decided to undertake the work and issuing of work orders are underway. Reports of problems of water seeping in at Nayanadahalli grade separator and minor errors at the West of Chord Road underpass have been handed over to us and work will begin soon. We are also checking the bearings and expansion joints of BEL Circle flyover and underpasses at ORR Junctions,” Nayak added.