The long-suffering users of Magadi Road, who have endured the effects of Namma Metro's civil works, can breathe a little easier.
N. Sivasailam, Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL), said: “We're aware of their ordeal. I myself have travelled on this stretch of the road.”
The problem, according to Mr. Sivasailam, arose because the carriageway was shifted to a place which earlier was not a road. To facilitate Namma Metro viaduct construction in the middle of the road, Magadi Road had to be widened. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board's (BWSSB) water lines passed under this widened stretch of the road and the movement of vehicles broke the pipes, creating potholes, he noted.
Permission got
BMRCL could not immediately do anything as every work has to get administrative sanction. Now that permission has been granted, the BWSSB will soon re-lay the water lines after closing one portion of the road, he said. However, he did not give any timeframe for its completion.
Meanwhile, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) Praveen Sood said that parts of the road would be closed to allow BWSSB to undertake replacement of the pipelines.
Mr. Sivasailam's response came at an interactive meeting organised by Vidyamana Vedike here on Tuesday. One of the participants asked why there are different yardsticks for those using roads around the Vidhana Soudha and places elsewhere in Bangalore. “Are those using roads near Vidhana Soudha more privileged than others?” he asked.
Well planned
To this, Mr. Sivasailam replied that places around Vidhana Soudha where Namma Metro work is going on fall in the underground work category. The detailed project report (DPR) had envisaged laying of alternative roads near underground stations to facilitate construction work and hence it was planned well. However, in other places where the viaducts are being constructed, there was no such provision. Nevertheless, roads in all those localities have been widened and after completion of the viaduct construction, they will be wider than before, he said.
