BENGALURU: Irked by the nine-year delay to construct the railway overbridge (ROB) at Jakkur, the residents of the area have now decided to move the High Court. Miffed, the residents now say that the ROB at the railway crossing could even enter the Guinness World Book of Records for the longest incomplete project.
Residents said the project was considered in the first place due to the traffic bottleneck at the railway crossing. The construction was taken up by the South Western Railway in 2012 but the project was stalled due to land acquisition issues. “The work had already begun and was almost halfway through, but two years later, SWR suddenly realised that the land belongs to some private parties and the construction was stopped. It is their duty to first check all this and then go ahead with the construction. Now, it is the citizens who are suffering,” said Umesh Babu Pille Gowda, IT consultant and a resident of Jakkur.
The road here connects places such as Yelahanka, Thanisandra, Sampigehalli, Outer Ring Road, Amruthahalli, Dasarahalli and Sultanpalya. However, the overbridge construction led to the blocking of the railway crossing and as a result people are forced to take an alternate route. “The alternate route can’t be called a road as it is a muddy stretch. Many bikers have accidents on this stretch and it is a complete detour. Earlier, it would take only 5 minutes to cross the railway crossing but now I am forced to travel an extra 3km,” said Pooja, a resident of Jakkur.
A senior BBMP official said, “Some of the landowners have agreed to the compensation while some are asking for more money. This is taking a lot of time to sort out. The negotiations are on and the issue will be settled soon.”However, the residents have made up their mind to start a signature campaign involving all the people of Jakkur and the adjoining layouts on August 31. They will then file public interest litigation in the Karnataka High Court, to direct the BBMP or the railways to complete the work within a given timeframe.