JOIN USA much-needed makeover
The plan to overhaul one of the City’s landmark areas — Church Street — and turn it into a pedestrian-friendly road has been in the loop for a year.
The idea and initiative has been spearheaded by the Church Street Occupant
Association (CSOA) in association with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
The BBMP will implement the project immediately after the elections in cooperation with the civic agencies.
The project, titled ‘Redevelopment of Church Street’, includes a few ground plans and some intelligent design solutions that are needed for the makeover.
The government has granted funds under the 13th Finance Commission for the implementation of this project. CSOA, that comprises committee members, residents, land owners and shopkeepers, will also pool in its funds and even help to raise funds.
Architect Naresh V Narasimhan, who is heading this project, says that the aim is to rationalise the requirement of the roads as well as of the pedestrians. He says, “The street has a distinct character. The beginning of Church Street, near Brigade Road, is lined with pubs. The middle and the end of Church Street comprises bookstores and a few fine-dining restaurants. It’s not a narrow road but a badly used one and hence has to be re-planned in such a way that it becomes pedestrian friendly and allows vehicles
to pass freely.”
He adds that the width of the footpath will be widened, with the help of Tender SURE projects. It may vary at different intervals and will roughly range from 1.5 m to 3 m.Vikram Dasappa, the owner of Easy Tiger and a member of CSOA, says that the road will be cobbled to reduce the speed of vehicles and cater to their easy movement. “The parking slots will cater to those visiting Church Street. It shouldn’t be the case that they park their vehicles in Church Street and go elsewhere.”
However, one of the main problems that plagues the popular stretch is the lack of an effective garbage disposal system.
The drains are always clogged because of the many restaurants and pubs dotting the road. The hotels dispose waste into these drains, thus choking them.
Vikram says that the new plan has a solution in place to check this as well.
He says, “Restaurants should have a certain number of grease traps so that the oil and grease will be drained and its flow will be arrested in sewers and stormwater drains. That will prevent the overflow of water and prevent clogging in drains. New shops and restaurants that are set up will have to adhere to these standards.”
To check garbage disposal, additional bins for the collection of dry waste and wet waste will be kept at certain intervals. Vikram adds, “The garbage truck is supposed to come before 10.30 am and collect the waste so that there will not be any hindrance to vehicles or pedestrians.”
In addition to this, Naresh adds that a solid waste management plan is also in the offing.