Three major roads in the Central Business District (CBD) are getting a facelift. Road development under Tender SURE (Specifications for Urban Road Execution) has been taken up on Cunningham Road, Vittal Mallya Hospital Road and St. Mark’s Road. These roads will be developed as per international standards, with levelled footpaths and underground utility ducts. The detailed project report was prepared by Bangalore City Connect Foundation. The work will be executed by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Eighteen roads will be improved under phase one of the Tender SURE project. They were classified into three packages. Seven roads – Residency Road, Richmond Road, Cunningham Road, Vittal Mallya Hospital Road, St. Mark’s Road, Commissariat Road and Museum Road – with a total length of 10.2 km are part of the first package. They are being developed at a cost of Rs. 78 crore. Of these, work on Cunningham Road, Vittal Mallya Hospital Road and St. Mark’s Road has been taken up on priority basis, a BBMP official said.
K.T. Nagaraj, BBMP’s Superintending Engineer (Major Roads), said it is unlikely that work on all the seven roads will be completed within the 12-month deadline due to a few practical problems. For instance, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) will have to take overhead cables underground. “For this, first we need underground ducts. Until that is ready, Bescom will have to make alternate arrangements. This requires coordination between all the civic agencies involved,” he explained.
The BBMP is coordination with Bescom and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). “We have been meeting every Saturday (except the second Saturday) to iron out details,” Mr. Nagaraj said.
The official revealed that the civic body is facing a hitch with the second package involving development of 7.4 km at a cost of Rs. 57.32 crore. The roads are Church Street, K.H. Road, Commercial Street, Raj Bhavan Road, 20 Main Road and J.C. Road. Due to lack of response, BBMP has floated a tender for the fifth time. The tender will be opened on April 9. Meanwhile, work order for the third package under which Modi Hospital Road, Siddaiah Puranik Road, K.G. Road, Nrupathunga Road and 11 Main Jayanagar will be taken up, has been issued.
