Flyovers at Thanisandra, BEL Circle

The Outer Ring Road, designed to give Bangaloreans a free ride along the suburbs, is five years old and nowhere near completion. The massive project – a series of 10 connected flyovers, three underpasses and two railway bridges on a total stretch of 13.4km — has only created a multitude of problems. In the past five years, the only reality has been traffic bottlenecks, broken roads and dust pollution.

The Rs 292-crore project, implemented by the BDA, is meant to connect HSR Layout 14th Main, Agara, Iblur, Bellandur, Devarabeesanahalli, Kadubeesanahalli, Mahadevapura, Kalyan Nagar, Hennur, Veerannapalya and BEL Circle. Work started in mid-2009 and each flyover was to be done in 24 months. But most flyovers took three years.

The ones at Thanisandra and BEL Circle junctions are still unfinished. At Thanisandra, two high-tension lines parallel to the flyover and shifting of utilities is delaying the project. At BEL Circle, the road is half-dug. A PSU has refused to part with land to widen the road, say sources.

Vehicles used to move inch by inch on these roads when the flyovers were being constructed. This was also one reason why initiatives like travelling by bus and car pooling gained momentum among techie groups.

Vishwanath Seetharam | Member, outer ring road companies association

Start: Mid-2009

Timeline: 24 months

Status: Work going on

Mysore Road widening

It’s just 2 km from Sirsi Circle to Gali Anjaneya Temple. Work to widen this road stretch began in August 2009, and four years later, is yet to touch the finish line.

Like many other infrastructure projects, BBMP took up the project without acquiring land. Now, it is yet to acquire three properties and is grounded outside a Christian cemetery, whose authorities have declined to part with their land. Said a BBMP engineer, “Burial ground authorities have asked for alternative land. The process of finding alternative land is going on.”

The project was to be completed in 15 months. Now, the BBMP assures it will be done in a month. When started, the project cost was pegged at Rs 9 crore; the BBMP hasn’t yet calculated the cost escalation.

Construction debris litters the stretch at several places. It’s very difficult to travel on this dusty road in the mornings and evenings, when vehicular movement is heavy.

Lokesh M | Sales executive

Start: Aug 2009

Timeline: 15 months

Status: Ready next month