Elevated corridor supporters meet Dr G Parameshwar

Bengaluru: Like the steel flyover, which witnessed a group demanding 'steel flyover beku' and another group 'steel flyover beda', the multi-crore elevated corridor now has a section of citizens demanding the construction of the controversial corridor.

The group met Deputy Chief Minister Dr G. Parameshwar on Wednesday and pointed out that the city needs a massive augmentation in its road carrying capacity. “The elevated corridor debate is skewed by a few angry voices who are colouring the entire picture and creating a perception that the entire citizenry at large is against elevated corridor,” they said.

In their submission they said that the road density in Bengaluru is only 8.2 km/sq km (as per Indian Mobility Final Report) and its total road network is only 10,200 km, while in Delhi the road density is 21.6 km/sq km and total road network is 32,000 km.

The representatives explained that the amount of road network is hopelessly inadequate for the current population of the city and looking at the future projections of population explosion in the city, the present road network is not enough.

Given the dearth of road space, there isn't much scope for expansion of public transportation and they urged that the elevated corridor has a separate bus lane and create stations en route on the corridor, they said.

The group demanded that the Peripheral Ring Road project be fast tracked. They asked the government to consider provisions for road-based public transport, cyclists and pedestrians while planning for the elevated corridor. “If the government does a transparent exercise, it will go a long way towards building significant citizen support for the initiative,” they said.