The State government has come up with an ambitious plan to build a 10-km-long flyover across Belagavi city to reduce traffic congestion.
Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has asked officials to prepare a feasibility report for a flyover that will criss-cross the city.
When completed, it will stretch between Belagavi-Kolhapur Road and Belagavi-Sakali Road, connect the Maharashtra border on the one side and the Goa border on the other.
Officials went on a tour of the city tracing the proposed route from Gandhi Nagar to Peeranwadi. It will run above some of the main roads and junctions in the city, like Sangolli Rayanna Circle, Kittur Channamma Circle, Bogarves, Goaves, Gogte Circle and Rani Parvati Devi Circle.
It will be access controlled, but will have roundabouts and entry and exit points, officials say.
Once approved, Public Works Department officials will start construction from the Gandhi Nagar end. The first phase is expected to coincide with the completion of the new city bus terminus and the proposed underground tunnel between the city bus stand and the central bus stand.
The flyover will also be a solution to the frequent traffic jams and diversions that are caused due to the protest rallies at the Kittur Channamma Circle. The flyover will help vehicles move across the city despite such blockades, said an officer.
An earlier plan suggested a flyover from Pune-Bengaluru highway service road to central bus stand, passing through Ashoka Circle, Khade Bazaar Road and the old vegetable market.
This was drawn up by the Smart City engineers who estimated the cost to be around ₹130 crore, officials said.
Mr. Satish Jarkiholi told The Hindu that the new structure will reduce traffic congestion in the city and provide a dedicated route to commuters who want to travel between the highways connecting the two States.
It will save a lot of time for commuters. It will also help town planners expand the city’s horizons by planning residential areas outside the existing city limits, he said. He said that he is confident that the project will be approved soon.
Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil, Police Commissioner M.B. Boralingaiah and Public Works Department officials conducted a site inspection recently.
Member of Legislative Assembly Asif (Raju) Sait and others were present.
