BENGALURU: It has been over two years since the three Metro stations of Nagasandra, Dasarahalli and Jalahalli were thrown open to the public. However, the underpasses meant to connect the residential areas across the stations are yet to be completed, making daily commute dangerous for hundreds of Metro commuters, who dash across the National Highway instead.
The Reach 3B stretch was inaugurated on May 1, 2015. Despite of the existence of a median and a row of barricades on the Tumkur Main Road to deter crossing over, a number of commuters opt to jump over them and dash to the stations in the face of speeding vehicles.
M D Subramaniam, an IT firm Manager, was among those who alight from an office cab on the main road and crosses over to reach the Nagasandra Metro station. “I know it’s risky but there is no other way. The barricade continues from the BIEC Centre to the 8th Mile Signal,” he said.
Shiva Gowda, who runs a hotel at Reddy Kutte across the Tumkur Main Road does the same. “The nearest Foot Over Bridge (FOB) is 500 metres away from the station and the steps are steep. So, I choose to take this risky trip,” he said.
Kumar and his colleagues alighted from an office cab and scaled the barricade on the Main Road to reach the station. “I have been doing so for nearly a year now,” he said.
Subways delayed
“Some technical issues in acquiring land caused the delay. We had issued the preliminary notification in the gazette to acquire land for 43.63 square metres in Nagasandra and 141 square metres in Dasarahalli in May. The final notification will be issued within this month. Tenders can be called for after that and work can begin,” a top official said.Rajarajeshwari Nagar MLA Munirathna wanted to execute the Jalahalli subway through the BBMP and so Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has allowed them, another official said. MLA Munirathna said, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Regional Officer Y Venkata Reddy Prasad said, “Metro wanted land from us for Nagasandra, Dasarahalli subways and we agreed to it.”