BENGALURU: The elevated corridor project in Bengaluru, the total cost of which is now estimated to be Rs 33,600 crore, will be implemented only if people support the project, said Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. The new estimate, announced at the meeting on Monday, is much higher than the Rs 15,825 crore that was allocated during the Budget announcement in July. The cost per kilometre of the corridor comes to Rs 329 crores, which is about the same as the more popular Metro rail cost — at `340 crores per kilometre. Experts called the project ‘rubbish’ and ‘flawed’, saying the answer lies in encouraging the use of public transport.
Following the meeting, HDK said that only preliminary discussions have been held and no decision has been taken yet on this.“We will go ahead with the elevated corridor project only if people require it. Or else, the State Government will drop it. If people want to enjoy the situation of (dense) traffic, they are free to enjoy it,” he said.
Feasibility report
According to the Detailed Feasibility Report presented in the meeting, of the total project cost, Rs 15,825 crore will be for the construction of the 102.04km network. The project, if implemented, will be in five phases. Under Phase-1, North-South corridor will be taken up from Esteem Mall at Hebbal to Silk Board junction, running 24.47 km in length. Phase-2 will be the longest with 41.2 km of elevated East-West corridor from KR Puram to Goraguntepalya, Phase-3 will be a loop at Central Business District running 10.2 km in length, Phase-4 will be part of East-West Corridor 2 connecting Minerva Circle to NICE road junction of 9.25 km and Phase-5 will be a 17.5 km elevated road between Varthur Kodi to Richmond circle. According to the report, 152 acres of land has to be acquired for the scheme and PPP model with hybrid annuity basis.
Discussion stage
Kumaraswamy said that the project has been in the discussion stage for the past 12 years, since 2006, and is being proposed again to ease the traffic congestion in Bengaluru, he said. Under the proposed project, a total of six interconnected elevated corridors will be built connecting different parts of the city.
Regarding opposition to the proposed project, he said that the State government was considering every alternative for the project. More Metro and BMTC networks, elevated roads and others, which will be ease traffic congestion, are being considered, he said.
Experts call plan ‘flawed’
M N Sreehari, traffic experts calls the project “absolutely rubbish” and that it is just another plot for the government to make money. “The flyover in Hebbal was beautiful five years ago. Now it is congested with vehicles,” he says pointing out that the same would occur for the elevated corridor project. According to Sreehari, over 4000 vehicles are being registered in Bengaluru everyday and explains that this needs to be regulated. “Road tax needs to be increased and registration must be controlled. An initiative must be made wherein the people depend on mass transportation instead of road transportation,” he adds. Urban expert, V Ravichandar, also calls the project “inherently flawed” although some elevated stretches maybe required. Agreeing to Sreehari’s statement on private vehicles need to be curbed, he adds three solutions to be considered which may help regulate the traffic: