Construction of a flyover at Hosakerehalli Kerekodi junction, part of the project to make Outer Ring Road (ORR) signal-free, has been stuck for over an year now. Leave alone aiding smooth flow of vehicles, the project has added to the traffic congestion on ORR.
Work on the 360-metre flyover started in August 2020, and was supposed to be completed in 15 months at a cost of ₹30 crore. The project was funded from the Chief Minister’s Nava Nagarothana scheme.
Hosakerehalli Kerekodi Junction flyover
- Work begin on August 7, 2020
- Time for completion of project: 15 months
- Money allotted for project: ₹30 crore
- Length of flyover: 360 metre
Local BJP MLA Munirathna claims that the project has been stuck as Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D. K. Shivakumar stopped funding for the project out of political vendetta. But, senior civic officials cite legal issues for the delay.
B. S. Prahlad, Chief Engineer, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) told The Hindu that all the hurdles were cleared and work would resume soon. The flyover would be ready by December 2024.
Traffic bottleneck
This stretch has not only become a bottleneck on ORR, but has also posed significant challenges to many residents of Hosakerehalli, Bangarappanagar, Mookambika Nagar, Pramoda Layout, Girinagar, Ganapati Nagar, Avalahalli. Residents of these areas have been struggling ever since the construction began. The barricades at the construction site block access to roads in their localities. Residents have to take a U-turn adding both distance and time to their commute.
This stretch of ORR has many educational institutions, including PES University. The inordinately delayed work has inconvenienced students and parents.
“I come to PES University from Nagarbhavi by bus. However, the traffic during morning peak hours is so bad that it takes nearly half-an-hour for the bus to cross Kerekodi Junction. So, I get off the bus to walk to my college,” said Shriya, an engineering student.
“To go from Girinagar to Hosahalli Road, we have to go round the PES University junction. The roads adjacent to the grade separator are very narrow and cause traffic jams. No matter how early we leave home, children are late for school,” said Vijaykumar, a parent.
“It has been years since they promised to make the ORR signal-free. Now that the work has stalled, we spend a lot of time every day crossing the Kerekodi junction. The government should prioritise works on this stretch and clear this bottleneck,” said Kiran Prasad, a resident of Jnanabharathi.
