BENGALURU: Work on the much-awaited Ejipura elevated corridor project costing Rs 176.86 crore is set to commence in January, with Hyderabad-based Bollineni Seenaiah Company Private Limited (BSCPL) entering an agreement with BBMP on November 15 to take over incomplete projects.
The project will be completed in 15 months and will connect Southeast Bengaluru to East and West Bengaluru.
However, BBMP is yet to give a 5 per cent advance of Rs 8 crore to the agency within 30 days, as per agreement. Residents assume the project may hit a dead end and the new agency will abandon work over delay in payments.
“The project commenced in 2017 when Congress was in power in Karnataka. About 30 per cent work was completed by the previous agency, Simplex Infrastructure Limited. Soon after the Congress-JDS coalition government fell in 2019, the project slowed down and was abandoned by the agency in 2021. BBMP had to pay an outstanding amount of Rs 15 crore then. With another agency coming forward, BBMP should now make monthly payments of about Rs 8-10 crore without fail. If not, the project may again come to a halt,” said an official.
Earlier, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who is also BTM Layout MLA, said the flyover will help avoid traffic junctions like Srinivagilu-Ejipura, Sony World Junction, BDA Complex Junction, Madiwala-Sarjapur Water Tank Junction, Kendriya Sadan Junction and connect the Southeast part to East and West Bengaluru. “The previous BJP government did not take an interest in the project and also diverted funds to areas ruled by BJP lawmakers.
Currently, under the present Congress government, the project has gained life and will be completed soon,” said Reddy. Before work picked up the pace, the agency took up pre-casting work and removal of trees marked for the project. “As per plan, 63 trees were marked and so far 25 have been cut,” said a BBMP official. The officials added that payments will not be an issue anymore, with the government keen on finding a solution to traffic.