BBMP Chief visits Shivananda circle flyover site, says pending issues resolved

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta on Saturday inspected the construction site of the much-delayed steel flyover at Shivananda circle in Bengaluru. According to a statement by the BBMP, he asked the concerned authorities to ensure that the project is completed in a specific time frame. The works for the construction of a 493-meter-long steel flyover at Shivananda Circle, which passes in front of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, has been going on for several years and has caused traffic congestions in the area. The steel bridge will connect Shivananda Circle to the Race Course in Bengaluru. According to Deccan Herald, the tenders for the project were originally called in March 2016 and TNM had earlier reported that the BBMP Chief had directed in February earlier this year that the flyover be completed by May 2021.

According to the statement, the work on the flyover was hindered due to two of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) water pipelines that obstructed the construction of one of the 16 pillars required for the flyover. The statement further said that the pipelines have now been shifted and the works for the construction of the pillar were progressing.

BBMP commissioner Gaurav Gupta, after the inspection, suggested that the work be completed quickly, without any traffic congestion, and that the service road under the flyover area where the construction work is completed must be opened to the public.

“Officials have been instructed to complete the pending work quickly. The road needs to be repaired on both sides of the flyover. After the road is repaired, it will be open to the public in a phased manner without causing any inconvenience to the people,” the statement said.

The Shivananda flyover has faced delays as well as protests by the residents of Bengaluru, who say that the flyover may not really change the city’s traffic problem and that the flyover is being built at an environmental cost.

According to Deccan Herald, the initial estimated cost of the flyover was 14.48 crore. However, the cost of the civil works alone would be Rs 39 crore, as of January 2021. The cost of the land acquisition and the construction of the railway bridge would be an additional Rs 21 crore.

Under the project, some of the trees on the roadway also have to be shifted and Deccan Herald reports that the project would result in the felling of 22 trees and the transplantation of 12 more.