The ‘magic box’ underpass at Cauvery Theatre junction on Ballari Road that has turned into a traffic bottleneck is likely to be closed.
The traffic police, who closed the underpass as an experiment on Saturday, have now decided to shut it permanently, after receiving a favourable public response.
Ironically, the underpass was built as a quick-fix solution to the traffic flow on Ballari Road in 2008.
R. Hitendra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said that a left diversion at Cauvery theatre and an u-turn to reconnect to Ballari Road has only created more issues for the airport traffic.
“It has actually created a hurdle for the airport traffic (huge in volume) aiding traffic from Sankey Tank side (low volume). This is unsustainable,” he said.
‘Need permanent solution’
Then BBMP Commissioner S. Subramanya, who led the initiative, said that it was never meant to be a permanent solution and it was high time the city thought of a permanent solution.
“Under pressure to give seamless access to the newly-opened airport, this was built. There were two other options considered — an elevated expressway from Chalukya Hotel to Hebbal apart from an underground tunnel from Balabrooie Guest House to Mekhri Circle,” Mr. Subramanya said.
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has shortlisted two firms for a Rs. 1,350-crore steel bridge between Basaveshwara Circle and Hebbal.
However, with the State government also considering a 75-km network of elevated corridors, whose alignment overlaps with that of the steel bridge, BDA is yet to take a final call.
Either of them would have made the ‘magic box’ obsolete and the latter’s expiry date has only been brought forward.
Cauvery Junction ‘magic box’
Built in 2008 to make junction signal-free, airport travel seamless
New prefabricated technology that was touted to be installed in 72 hours
It took 35 days, after the BBMP hit a sewer line while digging
Cost: Rs. 1.65 crore
Criticisms
— too narrow
— slowed down traffic speeds
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Alternatives, then
Underground tunnel from Balabrooie guest House to Mekhri Circle
Elevated expressway from Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal
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Future plans
Two firms shortlisted to build steel bridge from Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal
State government keen to build 75-km network of elevated roads criss-crossing across the city
