Experts weigh in on Commercial Street woes

BBMP took seven months to give the famous shopping avenue a makeover. Why are people complaining?

Commercial Street reopened on July 23 after a makeover that took seven months, but within days, citizens began complaining about broken pavements.

The BBMP’s budget for the street’s makeover is Rs 5.40 crore. Work on the street is impending (see box).

Metrolife asked urban planners and architects how the famed shopping avenue can fix its problems.

Traffic-free streets are feasible, especially on campuses and in gated communities and neighbourhoods, says Kala Seetharam Sridhar, professor, Centre for Research in Urban Affairs, Institute for Social and Economic Change. “They encourage people to walk,” she notes.

In Karnataka, corruption is common when it comes to road projects. When the tender is given to the lowest bidder, substandard material can creep in, she observes. “In this case, the contractor could have not accounted for so much rain in the first six months,” she adds.

Concrete pavers are the latest addition to the cityscape, and add to Bengaluru’s aesthetic appeal. From the heart of the city all the way to Nandi Hills, they have become a distinctive aspect of the city, says Yamini K, architect.

“We see a major European influence when it comes to cobbled streets and streets constructed with concrete pavers. Aesthetics play a major role in their popularity,” she says. The aesthetics may soon fade away, fears Prashanth Nandiprasad, proprietor, Etagi Design Collaborative. “The streets might be pretty now but soon the colours and patterns are going to wash away, especially if vehicles are allowed on it,” he says.

Streets built with concrete pavers are used across the globe to pedestrianise a neighbourhood. The streets are easily prone to damage if vehicles are allowed on them, he observes.

“But even if these streets are damaged, they can be re-laid easily. This is what makes them cost-effective. Unlike concrete and tar roads, where you have to discard the damaged stretches, concrete pavers can be reused,” he says.

Nandiprasad also fears the concrete pavers might create more problems in summer. “They tend to reflect a lot of heat. Also, if the pavers are not of good quality and the foundation isn’t laid well, they can lead to water ponding,” he explains.

Cyclists’ view

In recent times, the administration has put in efforts to make Bengaluru more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly. But cobbled streets and concrete pavers don’t make for the smoothest rides, cyclists say.

“From my experience, riding on such streets is not the most comfortable, especially on a normal bicycle. You need hybrid bicycles or special tyres for such roads,” says Nivedita P, avid cyclist.

Despite their drawbacks, such streets are a welcome addition as long as they are vehicle-free, says Sathya Sankaran, bicycle mayor of Bengaluru.

“Church Street was a favourite with cyclists when vehicles weren’t allowed on it. It made us feel safe. Sadly, that restriction has been lifted,” he says.

Aravind V, another cyclist, believes stricter rules need to be enforced to ensure streets meant for pedestrians and cyclists are used only by them. “Too often these become parking spaces for cars,” he says.

DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport) is currently working on a Mobility Act, which safeguards the rights of cyclists and pedestrians, says Sankaran.

‘Make it greener’

Commercial Street needs more plantation and greenery, apart from benches and furniture, says Radha Chanchani, urban designer. “Drainage problems can be handled with vegetated strips or bioswale (channels designed to divert stormwater). This helps in reducing flooding and recharging groundwater,” she says.

Streets focused on encouraging pedestrian culture have been tried across the world. “Closing the street down for hours is a concept explored all over the world. Careful planning, along with consensus building, is important,” she says.

Will fix it, says BBMP

The makeover of Commercial Street began in December 2020, says Rajendra Cholan, MD, Bengaluru Smart City Ltd. However, he says, the BBMP will complete the pending work in 10 days. “Major work like laying the footpath is over but connecting individual pipelines is time-consuming,” he says, adding that broken cobblestones will be replaced soon. Traders are opposing the proposal to ban vehicular movement on the street. “We are in talks with all the stakeholders. Vehicular movement can be banned only after a parking space is identified in the area,” he says.

(With inputs from Sneha Ramesh)