BENGALURU: To construct a Road Under Bridge (RUB) connecting the Yelahanka New Town and Yelahanka Old Town, the road in front of Yelahanka railway station was dug in February this year. Within 10 days, the work ground to a halt. For the last four months, it has posed enormous commuting problems to the residents in the area and surroundings who use this stretch.
The RUB was in the pipeline for two decades. It would reduce the present 3 km distance traversed on Bellary Road by public who want to reach either of these areas to just around 200 metres.
The bridge is a joint venture between the Railways and the BBMP, which also co-ordinates with other utility agencies.
A senior railway official told The New Indian Express, "We encountered electrical cables underground when carrying out the excavation work. We had no other option but to stop our work. BBMP asked BESCOM to lay new cables and then remove the existing ones. We are still waiting for the shifting to be over."
M Kempegowda, Executive Engineer, BBMP conceded there has been some delay on the part of BESCOM. "However, it was a very big job they were doing. They are very huge cables and had to be carefully relocated and the new ones need to be activated. There were some technical issues they faced and BESCOM had to call for tenders and it took some time."
He assured that the job would be completed in the next two days and Railways can start their work here again.
Joshua D, a localite, who is actively championing the RUB, here said, "With the road literally unusable now, many are forced to use the railway tracks to cross. This is a danger to many."
V Anuroop, who works in the medical industry, said, "Due to the lockdown and restricted movement of public here, there appears to be no major issues right now. But once public movement start, it will become a huge inconvenience to all."
Another railway official said the bridge to be built by it would be in place before December 2021. "The ramps to the bridge to be built by BBMP will take time," he said.