BENGALURU: Bengaluru Development Minister K J George said the government is considering building a ‘Bangalore Square’ on the lines of New York’s Times Square at the junction of Brigade Road and Residency Road.
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment centre and neighbourhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue. It draws an estimated 5 crore visitors annually.George was speaking at a function where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated a rejuvenated Church Street on Thursday.
George said a meeting will be held to discuss whether Church Street can be made vehicle-free on weekends. MLAs Ramalinga Reddy and N A Haris also attended the event, which saw the presence of a large number of Congress supporters who especially threw their weight behind Haris.
The plan to give the street a makeover under the TenderSure project was approved in June 2016, and the tender was approved in January 2017. The footpaths have been laid with granite slabs and the carriageway with granite cobblestones. Parking facility has been provided to accommodate 103 two-wheelers and 16 four-wheelers, and nine LED lights have been installed on the road spanning 715 metres. The total cost of the project is Rs 9.03 crore.
Other projects also Inaugurated
Siddaramaiah inaugurated a part of the Okalipuram overbridge/underbridge, upgradation of footpath on MG Road and multi-level car parking at Freedom Park, Gandhinagar.In addition, George inspected the rejuvenation works of Bellandur Lake and asked officials to speed up the works.