Heavy traffic on Ballari Road should not become a cause for inordinate delay in completing the ongoing works of widening the stretch between Mehkri Circle and Cauvery theatre junction, the High Court of Karnataka said on Friday.
“The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike should explore various means to see that road-widening work gets an appropriate pace and speed and not delayed on some excuse or some lethargy on the part of some officers and the agencies,” the court observed.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi issued the direction while taking note of the progress made by the BBMP and other authorities to widen the congested stretches of Ballari Road in a phased manner.
The Bench issued the directions while hearing a PIL petition filed in 2020 by Samarpana, a cultural and social organisation, seeking direction to widen the road stretch to ease vehicular movement.
Earlier, the advocate for the petitioner pointed out that the widening work is not progressing at the expected pace. However, the advocate for the BBMP said that heavy traffic on the road impacts the pace of works.
Meanwhile, the Bench also said that senior officers of the BBMP should look into the progress of the widening work and take appropriate care so that the work is not delayed for some unjustifiable reason or some other excuse, including heavy traffic.
The BBMP has also been directed to submit a progress report of the ongoing work, including the manner of periodical supervision and check by a responsible senior officer.
