Koramangala bridge taking forever, connectivity hit

Residents of Koramangala who witnessed the demolition of the bridge at Maharaja Junction, which linked the area to other parts of the city, are yet to see an alternative.

Initially, residents were told a new bridge would be built in 45 days. But now, the work on the new structure is taking forever.

The bridge was the only link to the other parts of the city as three other routes are quite narrow with barely motorable roads.

“Entering or exiting ST Bed Layout in Koramangala is a nightmare, especially during the peak hours. More so with the Ejipura-Kendriya Sadan Flyover work in the adjoining IRR (Intermediate Ring Road) going on simultaneously,” said Muralidhar Rao, vice president, Bangalore Apartments’ Federation.

Besides, the civic bodies simultaneously decided to take up flood mitigation work at the Nilgiri’s Junction involving large-scale trenching and providing a cattle-trap cover. The residents are distressed about the expected traffic and pedestrian movement as a result.

Two months have passed and the bridge work is yet to wrap up.

BWSSB has unloaded six-foot diameter pipes in the vicinity of the bridge construction, to be buried below the base of the stormwater drain as part of the sewage link between a pumping station in the National Games Village area and the newly commissioned STP at Nagasandra (on the edge of Bellandur Lake).

“We heard that the excavation for laying the pipes is going to go as deep as the base of the bridge’s support wall foundation footings, endangering their stability. It is also going to endanger the foundations of several tall buildings that have come up along the drain on both sides,” Rao said.

Corporator M Chandrappa said the bridge work is in its final stages. “It will be over in another month,” he said, assuring that the pipeline work is yet to be done and no harm would befall any structure.