The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has revived the long-pending Sankey Tank Bund Road widening project in Malleswaram, first proposed in 2011. The newly appointed BBMP Chief Commissioner, Tushar Giri Nath, on Sunday inspected the site and announced that the State Government had cleared the project and tenders would be called soon.
The Commissioner instructed officials to complete the tendering process at the earliest and begin the work. The narrow stretch of the road between Bhashyam Circle and Malleswaram 18th Cross will be widened by 15 metres at an estimated cost of ₹60 crore, Mr. Nath said.
Though the BBMP has tried to begin work on the widening project multiple times since 2011, it had to backtrack owing to vociferous protests by environmental activists and residents, who are opposed to the felling of nearly 30 trees for the project. However, Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, also the local MLA, has been championing the project to ease the traffic bottleneck in the area.
On Sunday, Mr. Nath also inspected several other ongoing works. During his inspection of the integrated elevated project being constructed between Yelahanka Police Station junction and BWSSB junction in Yelahanka New Town, Mr. Nath instructed the officials concerned to implement the project without causing much inconvenience on motorists.
While inspecting Koramangala Valley Raja Kaluve Development and Maintenance (K-100) project, the official said sewage coming from households had been diverted. On a stretch of 6 km, raja kaluve silt had been excavated and steps had been taken for harvesting rainwater. On the remaining stretch of 3.6 km, work is in progress. “From J.C. Nagar to Shantinagar bus station, for a distance of 1.5 km, sidewalls of storm-water drains, beautification works, pedestrian paths, and other works are in progress. Six bridges have been constructed across the raj kaluve and construction of three more bridges is in progress,” said the Commissioner.
He instructed officials to remove the UGD pipes and other construction material blocking the movement of the vehicles on Jayamahal Road. The BBMP is widening the road from Mehkri Circle toward Cantonment. Railway Station.
