BANGALORE: Do you think twice before using the railway level crossing at Kaggadasapura? If so, there is good news for you. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has submitted a proposal to the railways for the construction of a railway-under -bridge (RUB) between the railway-over-bridge constructed for the exclusive use of DRDO staff and the existing level crossing at Kaggadasapura.
One can see a serpentine queue of vehicles on either side of the level crossing. During peak hours, commuters have to wait for at least 20 minutes to reach the other side of the level crossing. Commuters recall incidents where hardly 10 or 20 vehicles cross the gate, before it closes.
With the increase in construction of houses and apartments in and around Kaggadasapura, the number of vehicles too has increased. Currently, during peak hours, over 200 vehicles wait on both sides of the level crossing.
The trains such as Dharmapuri Passenger (7.30 am), Salem Passenger (8.10 am), Yeshwanthpur Passenger (9.45 am), Kurla Express (2.30 pm), Salem Passenger (from Bangalore 4.45 pm), Salem Passenger ( from Salem 6.00 pm), Dharmapuri Passenger (7.00 pm), Mayiladthurai Express (7.45 pm), Intercity (7.50 pm) and Tuticorin Express (9.45 pm) pass on that railway line. This list excludes goods trains. “It is very difficult to access areas such as A Narayanapura, Mahadevapura and K R Pura, especially in the mornings and evenings. The proposed railway-under-bridge in Kaggadasapura is long overdue. It is a welcome relief,’’ says N Umashankar, president, Kaggadasapura Residents’ Welfare Association.
According to BBMP Executive Engineer (RUB) Vishwanth, a detailed plan has been submitted to the Railways for approval. “We are waiting for the Railways to approve the proposal,’’ he said. The cost of the proposed railway-under-bridge is expected to be `9 crore.
According to reliable sources, the State Government has agreed to bear half of the total cost of construction. “We have received the proposal from the BBMP. We have forwarded the proposal to the Railway Board for approval,’’ said V Hari Babu, Senior Divisional Engineer, South Western Railways. Emphasising the need for a railway-under-bridge at Kaggadasapura, Corporator of C V Raman Nagar ward M Krishna said that he expected the work to commence shortly.
Meanwhile, S Raghu, MLA from C V Raman Nagar Assembly constituency, has said that a detailed project report on the railway-under-bridge was submitted to the Railways five years ago. “I am very happy that the BBMP and the Railways have started working on the proposed RUB. It will help ease the serpentine traffic jams at Kaggadasapura and nearby areas,’’ said Raghu.
Will the Railways and the BBMP ensure the realisation of the railway-under-bridge as early as possible? The residents of Kaggadasapura and other areas have to wait and watch.