Bengaluru: Soon, zip through signal-free Chord road

BENGALURU: Work for BBMP's ambitious project to make the stretch of West of Chord road a 'signal free corridor' is proceeding at a  brisk pace. With around nine months left for the completion of the project, BBMP is expecting to complete the project, estimated at Rs 89.86 crore, much before the deadline (17th September 2017).

The work is aimed at building 2 flyovers – one at Manjunath  Nagar, Main Road and the other at Basaveshwara Nagar first Main Road. Construction of an integrated underpass at Shivnagar connecting 1st Main Road and 8th Main Road of Shivnagar,  is  yet to commence, as high voltage wires of KPTCL and BESCOM are passing underneath,  near the road. Once the works on the stretch are completed, drivers can zip along the 3.5 km from Magadi Road and reach Mahalakshmi Layout junction within 5 minutes.

Speaking to DC, a BBMP engineer associated with the project said, "The flyover at Basaveshwara Nagar junction will be 388 meters long and will be unidirectional (open to vehicles from Magadi Road towards Yeshwantpur). But the flyover at Manjunath Nagar will be a two-way flyover and this will be 232 meters long."

“After completing these 2 flyovers we will take up the work of building an integrated underpass at Shivnagar measuring 540m. We have requested KPTCL and BESCOM officials to transfer 18 cables of 11KV, supplying power to South Bangalore, which may affect our work,” the BBMP engineer explained.

“Our works are not majorly affecting the traffic flow in the area as we have diverted the traffic to the service roads,” he said.

Once these 2 flyovers and an underpass are completed, the stretch of Chord Road will be free from signals starting from Magadi Road, crossing the unidirectional flyover at Basaveshwara junction, under pass at Shivnagar, climb the flyover at Manjunath Nagar junction, use the Navrang under pass and cross Rajajinagar 1st block flyover and end at Mahalakshmi Layout junction, the engineer explained.

Venkatesh M, a commuter, said: "The stretch west of Chord road is a bit wide and the entire stretch has service roads. Owing to work in progress, the stretch from the fire department up to Basaveshwaranagar entrance and near Manjunath Nagar, vehicles are diverted to the service roads. Only during peak hours, vehicles get stranded at Basaveshwara Nagar junction and Mahalakshmi Layout,

“This time BBMP has put up big boards on the ongoing works. The board says that works should be completed by 17.09.2017. “We hope BBMP at least completes this developmental work on time,” commented Ms Sumitra, a commuter.