Bengaluru: Koramangala, which used to be gourmets’ and pub hoppers’ paradise, has now turned into a dust bowl owing to construction of flyover and cable laying works.
While an elevated corridor is being built on the Intermediate Ring Road (IRR), the Bescom is laying underground cables on the Koramangala 80 Feet Road.
In addition, choc a bloc traffic is now a regular phenomenon in Koramangala and surrounding areas, due to its burgeoning growth and rise in commercial activities over the last few years. The area now has a high density of pubs and eateries, bringing in its wake traffic and parking issues.
For regular commuters and local residents it is proving to be a nightmare as their travel times have increased.
Due to cable laying work on the 80 Feet Road, a thick blanket of dust engulfs the entire area, posing health hazard to local residents and traders in the area.
The problem gets aggravated when heavy vehicles such as buses and truck pass through the road, said Anil Kumar, President, FORWARD 68, a confederation of Resident Welfare Association (RWA).
The BBMP has taken up elevated corridor project from Ejipura Circle to Kendriya Sadan near Koramangala Water Tank to ease congestion on Koramangala 100 Feet road. Though the project may be beneficial in the long run, but during the construction period it is the residents and regular commuters who will have to pay the price, he added.
With the summer setting in, it is increasingly becoming difficult for two-wheeler riders due to disruptions caused by infrastructure works on the IRR, which stretches from Domlur to Madiwala. The temperature in the area has increased despite the vast stretches of greenery on the army land, Kumar said.
The traffic situation on this stretch was difficult even before the elevated corridor construction began, but now it has been further aggravated. To reach M.G. Road, Brigade Road or Vidhana Soudha which is less than five kilometres, the commuters need to spend at least an hour in transit.
The BBMP must complete the elevated corridor at the earliest to end the nightmare of local residents and regular commuters, Kumar said.
Dayashankar, a hotelier, said about a decade ago Koramangala used to be a quiet neighbourhood with broad roads and lots of greenery, unlike M.G. Road and other busy areas. But things have changed drastically and the way the area got transformed pains me. In the name of development greenery and environment issues have been given a go-by.
He said though rise in urbanization has increased his business, it has also come with a host of problems. Due to the dust I have developed lung related infections and the BBMP has hardly done anything to mitigate the problem. It has still not asphalted the roads that were dug up for cable laying.
BBMP sources told Deccan Chronicle that the flyover project got initially delayed as it involved soil testing and piling work. Some pillars have already been erected in some areas, while others are underway. However since pre-cast material is being used, the project will be executed speedily, they added.
Ejipura Corporator T Ramachandra told Deccan Chronicle that he would discuss the issue with the engineers concerned and fix the problem at the earliest and also take measures to solve the problem of dust.
