BENGALURU: Construction of the signal-free corridor on Rajkumar Road in Subramanyanagar is going on at a snail’s pace leading to restricted flow of traffic. And the situation is getting worse as each day passes.
All KSRTC and private buses heading towards North Karnataka take this road. Due to the construction, they have been diverted to West of Chord Road from Orion Mall and vehicles coming from Navarang Circle are diverted to the left of Rajkumar Road through Rajajinagar 1st Block. However, movement of vehicles beside the underpass has not stopped.
Local business around the project site have taken a severe hit, says Shivanand who has been running a hotel for a decade. Wearing a mask to protect himself from the the dust, he says, “My business has suffered drastically due to the construction. When will they finish it?”
Another shopkeeper says, “I have lost several customers due to the sound and dust. There is no sign of progress in construction.”
Students of Vivekananda College nearby are also suffering. They are now taking a different route to reach the college in order to avoid the dust. “The dust and noise has affected our classes. Hopefully it will be completed soon,” says a student.
A local resident says, “My mother is old. There is so much dust from construction and vehicular movement and we can’t complain to anyone. We have to close the doors and windows to avoid the dust and noise.”
K T Nagaraj, the chief engineer of the project, told Express, “The project is delayed due to land acquisition issues. Ten metres of the road passes through a church property. Once the land is acquired, we will finish work in no time.”
Construction of the Rs 35-crore unidirectional two-lane underpass was started by BBMP nine months ago. It was aimed at creating a signal-free corridor along Rajkumar Road.