BBMP takes its own sweet time to restore Magadi Road

The busy stretch has been closed for 3 months with no sign of completion

It has been almost three months since one of the two carriageways of Magadi Road, between Leprosy Hospital and Prasanna Theatre Junction, was closed for restoration. However, work on the stretch has only reached the halfway mark reflecting the lackadaisical approach of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in executing infrastructure works.

The road, one of the busiest trunk routes connecting the central business districts with west Bangalore, was damaged due to the construction of the viaduct of Reach 2 (Magadi Road to Mysore Road terminal) of Namma Metro Phase 1.

The road was in such a bad state that when it was announced that one of the carriageways (towards Prasanna Theatre junction) would be closed for restoration in March this year, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. As per the understanding between the BBMP and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL), the road was to be restored by the palike while the BMRCL would pay half the cost (about Rs. 4 crore) of works.

Pranesh, a condiment shop employee on Magadi Road said business had dropped ever since BMRCL commenced the viaduct work. Private vehicles avoided the route, severely affecting business, he said. The constant dust was also a health concern, Mr. Pranesh said.

“Though it meant further loss of business, we did not raise our voice when the carriageway closed. We just wanted the road restored at the earliest. However, we are concerned by the lethargic execution of the work,” said Somanna, a kirana shop owner in the area. Other than filling up the road with crushed stones, there has been no further progress. He estimated that it would take another three months to complete the work.

The other carriageway (from Prasanna Theatre Junction towards Leprosy Hospital), where traffic movement is allowed, is filled with craters. Only BMTC buses take the route; private vehicles take a detour via Rajajinagar entrance.

Choked routes

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M. Abdulla Saleem said it has been a Herculean task for his personnel to manage the traffic. Because of partial closure of the road, all vehicles towards Vijayanagar move via Vatal Nagaraj Road (Rajajinagar 6th Block) as a result of which the road from Rajajinagar entrance till Prasanna Theatre Junction is completely choked. The traffic police had hoped that restoration would be completed in a month.

A BBMP senior official said the delay was caused by the contractor. He has been warned and the work on the carriageway would be completed in a month, he promised.