Stalled roadwork in Roopena Agrahara may resume soon

BTM Layout MLA Ramalinga Reddy and BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar on Monday inspected the stalled roadwork that would link Roopena Agrahara and Hosur Road via BTM Layout in southern Bengaluru.

The work has been halted for two years now because of various reasons that include the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) ruling on lake buffer zones, pending payments to the contractor and land acquisition issues.

The civic body wants to build a 60-foot-wide one-kilometre-long road between Roopana Agrahara and Hosur Road that would help commuters avoid a four-kilometre detour. The work, estimated to cost Rs 25 crore, is 40% complete.

BBMP officials informed Reddy that the contractor had stopped the work as he hadn't been paid Rs 8 crore and that two property owners were yet to part with their land.

In an effort to expedite the roadwork, Reddy said, he and the BBMP chief will hold a meeting with the contractor and property owners on Tuesday.

"There was no road here earlier but we are building one along the Roopena Agrahara Lake. The work was put on hold because of the NGT ruling that there cannot be any construction in a lake's buffer zone. Things were also delayed because the contractor wasn't paid. I and the BBMP commissioner will hold a meeting with the contractor and property owners on Tuesday and will resolve the matter. We hope the work will resume soon," he told DH.