City Kemp News
Residents of Koramangala under the banner of 7 RWAs have written to Bengaluru Development Minister K J George on Thursday drawing his attention to the appalling state of traffic and road infrastructure in the Koramangala area.
Koramangala is strategically located at the gateway between the Central areas of the city and the road to newly developed industrial hubs like Electronic City, Bommsandra and Jigani. Hosur Road, which is National Highway -7 connects Bengaluru to Tamilnadu passing through Koramangala.
The residents have brought a few key issues to the Minister’s attention. They are:
1. Through traffic diversion through residential roads: Through traffic which should flow through arterial roads is being diverted through the residential bylanes of Koramangala. Although the residents understand that there are traffic issues all over Bengaluru, few residential areas have been affected as badly as Koramangala A few months ago, a one way scheme was introduced along Sarjapur Road and Hosur Road. The one way scheme has resulted in an explosion of through traffic passing through the inner roads of Koramangala in an effort to find a shorter way. Similarly ST bed too is hugely affected by through traffic being diverted through the narrow residential roads. There are many such examples in the area. This has resulted in safety issues for the children and senior citizens who cannot even walk on the roads as they fear for their lives. St John’s hospital which is the only major hospital in the area cannot be accessed in time by residents in an emergency.
The residents had engaged repeatedly with the Senior Officers of Bangalore City Traffic Police on several occasions to try and find solutions but it is regreted to note that the Traffic Police have not been receptive to ideas on how to address these issues. Rather, they seem to suggest that citizens must be ready to allow and accept any quantum of through traffic on their roads.
2. Road quality: Many roads in and around Koramangala including arterial roads are in extremely poor shape. They include 100 ft Inner Ring road, Sarjapur Road and Hosur Road. Particularly at junctions, traffic speed and flow is unnecessarily impeded by various factors. Junction improvements at key junctions in Koramangala are vital and should be taken up at the earliest.
3. Key Infrstructure Projects languishing: Residents like to draw your attention to the fate of key projects which are languishing without seeing the light of day
a. Elevated road from Ejipura to Kendriya Sadan: The project was to be funded through the Jnnurm scheme. Subsequently this project was also tendered but funds allocated under Jnnurm were withdrawn. The State Government has subsequently offered to fund the project and it is heared that the file is pending approval with the State Cabinet for the past few months. Therefore the residents request this project be taken up on priority.
b. Ejipura to Agara road : — A road linking Ejipura to Agara connecting the Inner and Outer Ring Road has been shown in RMP 2015 as an “Existing Road”. This road would need to pass through a small portion of military land and although citizens have been making strenuous efforts to coordinate with the Ministry of Defence in New Delhi to permit easement rights for the road, the requisite follow up from Government of Karnataka has, so far, been lacking
c. Silk Board junction to Forum Junction Flyover: — For a very long time, the Government had been committed to the construction of a flyover in this stretch. This stretch formed part of the Vellara junction to Silk Board signal free corridor. Subsequently, the corridor was extended to Chalukya junction and then all the way up to Hebbal. The stretch is now part of the North-South & East-West road corridors in Bengaluru which is a project costing more than Rs 16,000 crores.
Even if the entire project is to take time, the residents’ request is that the stretch i.e, Silk Board to Forum junction, should be taken up on priority as this has huge implications for traffic in the area. This will also be a key selling point to investors to give them connectivity from Bengaluru to Electronic City and other growing areas in the South and East of Bangalore.
Residents Immediate Requests
Sarjapur Road and Hosur Roads should be made two way again immediately, reverting to the old system prevailing a few months ago. Any further changes in traffic flow should only be done after a detailed traffic study that takes into account the effects of these changes on the immediate neighbourhood.
Traffic Police to form a committee which included residents of the area to see how best residential roads can be insulated from through traffic. This would also include junction improvements to improve traffic flow. Changes suggested to be implemented within a defined time frame.
Damaged roads to be asphalted immediately.
The large infrastructure projects to be cleared immediately so that work can start on these projects.
The entire infrastructure in the Koramangala area is creaking and on the verge of total collapse unless urgent action is forthcoming. A Government that seeks to attract investment from across the globe to Karnataka and Bengaluru cannot succeed in its efforts without the corresponding infrastructure in place.
