Work on reconstruction of roads inside the Jnana Bharathi campus of Bangalore University has finally started this week, a good 10 months after Home Minister R. Ashok laid the foundation stone.
The work has been entrusted to Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd., (formerly Karnataka Land Army), for which the State government has given administrative approval for Rs. 11.99 crore.
Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) took it upon itself to get the work going as the roads are being used as thoroughfare by those residing in areas surrounding Jnana Bharathi. Bangalore University will pay the BBMP Rs. 1 crore which it received from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for laying the waterlines through the campus.
Eight-month project
On Wednesday, workers were seen reconstructing shoulder drains while excavators were scraping the existing road surface.
A senior BBMP official involved in the work told The Hindu the work might take eight months as it entails complete reconstruction of the road infrastructure including drains and pavements.
The official also said a detailed project report (DPR) will have to be prepared for another railway under-bridge (RUB) for the Bangalore-Mysore Railway line near Mysore Road.
At present, there is only one RUB with a two-lane road.
The increase in traffic around Jnana Bharathi also warranted a four-lane road. After preparing the DPR, the BBMP will discuss the RUB construction with the railways, he said.
Arterial roads
Three important roads — main campus road between Mysore Road and Outer Ring Road (Ullalu Road Junction); University Administrative Office-Nagarabhavi Road and University Library-Mariyappanapalya Road will be reconstructed. The BBMP will also build a 2.5 km bicycle path along the roads.
