Chaotic will perhaps best describe the peak hour traffic on St. Mark’s Road.
The left side of the road — stretch between SBI Circle and Anil Kumble Circle — has been dug up and barricaded. This has reduced space for vehicular movement, besides eating up the footpath and forcing pedestrians to walk on the road.
The St. Mark’s Road-stretch is among the seven other roads being improved and upgraded by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) under the Tender SURE (Specification for Urban Road Execution) project.
Road improvement work has also been taken up on Cunningham Road and Vittal Mallya Hospital Road. The works, taken up by Chennai-based NAPC Ltd., began in March this year at a total cost of Rs. 78 crore.
BBMP sources maintain that the roads will be of international standards, with levelled footpaths and underground utility ducts.
Paul Mondal, who lives in a hostel on this stretch, said, “I commute everyday to my workplace either by bus or autorickshaw. After the roads were dug up, autorickshaws refuse to ply to St. Mark’s Road. Pedestrians find it difficult to cross the road. The recent rain has added to our woes. It is good that the schools around this area are shut for vacations, else children would be at risk,” he says.
For Mallappa, who is visually challenged and works in a private bank, walking to the bus stand is a herculean task. With just a white cane to guide him, he negotiates the road trying to avoid barricades and traffic to reach the bus stop near Bowring Institute.
“Initially, when the road was dug up, it was difficult for me. But now I have a sense of where the barricades are and try to walk by myself,” he said.
A BBMP official, who is monitoring the progress of work, told The Hindu that this stretch may be completed within three months. Work on laying separate water and sanitary pipelines and ducts for other utilities are on.
“After the work on this road is completed, it will be taken up on the other four roads in the package — Residency Road, Richmond Road, Commissariat Road and Museum Road,” he said.
