The BBMP is preparing to begin work on an underpass in Jalahalli junction in the next three months to significantly ease traffic bottlenecks.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials said they have acquired 14 out of the required 49 properties, while funds have been released to buy the rest. The project is estimated to cost Rs 57 crore, with land acquisition alone set to cost close to Rs 139 crore.
“Land acquisition was the major hurdle for the project. Since the major hurdle has been cleared, we are confident of beginning work in the next two to three months,” said Nandeesh J R, Executive Engineer, BBMP.
But commuters and local residents are not convinced about the project kickstarting on time.
“We have been hearing about it for at least four years now. The junction experiences heavy traffic density and a grade separator is the need of the hour. It takes at least 40 minutes to reach Nagasandra from Peenya, a mere two-km stretch, during the peak hours,” said Subhash Shetty, a resident of Nagasandra.
Another commuter pointed out that pedestrians, especially those walking to the Peenya Industrial Area, have a tough time wading through the traffic at the junction. “Since many of them working in the Peenya Industrial Area walk across the junction, the accident rates are high,” said Rajesh B K, a daily commuter on the stretch.
No traffic diversions
While the project may ease traffic jams, residents are concerned about the congestion when work gets underway.
Nandeesh said the BBMP plans to schedule the work in small portions to ensure traffic movement is not affected. “Since we will acquire the properties, we will have a wider area to work on. We will take (the works) one by one to ensure traffic movement is smooth. No traffic diversions will be required,” he said.
Though the project was mooted in 2018 and tenders awarded in 2019, it was stalled due to finance and land acquisition issues. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai laid the foundation stone for the project in October 2021.
Work on the underpass will commence with an 18-month deadline.
“It will provide relief to commuters as well as our officials. Now, we will depute at least two additional officers to manage traffic during the peak hours. Once the construction begins, the condition might get worse, depending on how the BBMP takes up the work. We will discuss the matter with BBMP officials and see how we can reduce inconvenience to the public,” said an official with the Peenya traffic police station.