First, we heard about the steel bridge that will come up and feared that it will only create worse traffic choke points than at present at Chalukya Circle and Hebbal. Now, we must fear more. For, there is a plan to make it a toll bridge. One can only imagine the nightmare that will result when 20,000-30,000 vehicles queue up before the toll gates at peak time!
The steel flyover from Chalukya Circle to Hebbal to be executed by the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) has become a hot topic for discussion and has elicited mixed response from experts on topics of solving the problem, being aesthetic and cost factor.
Members of vision group and urban experts have been opposing the steel flyover tooth and nail with the logic that the whopping Rs 1,900 crore steel bridge stretching 6.7 km will only shift the traffic jams from one place to another rather than solving it comprehensively. Entry and exit points of the steel flyover will be choked even if the electronic toll collection gates are introduced, as it takes at least 10 seconds for each vehicles to pass through, he said.
Who says, the steel flyover cold be completed on fast track. In city like Hanoi, construction of flyover has taken five years long and put motorists in misery while traveling. There is no doubt that the city will be an exception to this, explains Ravichandar, member of vision group.
Steel bridge is definitely not required at all if at all the government wants to solve the problem and the problems should be looked at comprehensively and mass public transport must be embraced. More buses, commuter railway system, expediting metro project and to ensure that cab aggregators fall in line with the transport policy to solve the problem of congestion rather than having fancy projects, he analysed.
chalukya Circle: Vehicles can zoom on the steel flyover from Hebbal to Chalukya Circle. But as the traffic exits from the steel flyover and merges with the Central Business District (CBD) traffic, it would create a jam.
Simply, the elevated corridors within the city cannot have bus stops. This means, they are designed to carry vehicles non-stop from one place to another. These projects would be more dedicated to private vehicles. Such being the case how will this help public interest, he questioned.
No matter whether the BDA is going ahead with steel flyover or concrete one but the proposed steel flyover must be integrated with North South Corridor linking Central Silk Board and Hebbal. Having the steel flyover in isolation or linking from point A to point B will not solve the problem but shift the bottleneck from one place to another. Any mega project must be designed in such a way that it should be flexible to link to other upcoming roads in future.
—T. V. Mohandas Pai, urban expert and Chairman of Manipal Global Education
Another traffic expert on condition of anonymity said that although the project is quick to be constructed it is maintenance heavy and difficult to have ramps. The BDA may be batting that it can be shifted from one place to another, the question is why should it be shifted, it at all serving the public. Why have benefit of doubt, the expert asked.
T. V. Mohandas Pai, urban expert and Chairman of Manipal Global Education says that if at all the BDA is going ahead with the steel flyover it should be integrated with the elevated corridor to serve better. Having a steel flyover in an isolated manner is not sufficient. If not integrated, it definitely shifts problem from one place to another, he added.
The BDA authorities and Institute for Steel Development And Growth (INSDAG) strongly believe that the steel flyover stretching will ease congestion on the busy Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) road and quick to be constructed.
BDA Engineer Member P. N. Nayak says the project can be fast tracked and solve the congestion problem, which has become order of the day. The flyover will be linked to the proposed elevated corridor linking Central Silk Board to Hebbal. The BDA is following transparency and has experts from IISc and noted engineers as on the technical advisory committee.
For
The road connecting BIAL is congested and needed immediate surgery. Steel bridge could be constructed on fast track and is also aesthetic. The project stretching 6.7 kms can be completed in just two years unlike the traditional flyover which takes years. Permission has been obtained form South Western Railways (SWR) to run the steel bridge above the elevated railway track near Windsor Manor. The flyover will be linked to the North South elevated corridor which the BBMP will be executing, linking Central Silk Board to Hebbal. Widening of Hebbal flyover and underpass beneath it should solve the problem of congestion.
—P. N. Nayak, BDA Engineer Member
Against
The down ramp of the proposed steel flyover at the Chalukya Circle is sure to create bottleneck and choke traffic movement. I am sure the legislators would be disappointed with the chock-o-bloc and demand for dismantling of the metal flyover. Not just the aesthetics would be marred by the flyover but also eat into the greenery at the Bangalore Golf Course and Race Course. Should we have a project which causes problem than offering solution?
The project is best suited to be built over the river and railways. Although it is faster to construct vis-à-vis conventional concrete flyover it is maintenance heavy. There will be a lot of wear and tear for the metal, especially the nuts and bolts. It causes lot of vibrating while carrying moving load.
—M. N. Sreehari, traffic expert
