BENGALURU: With the bus priority lane undergoing a trial error with 50-60 bollards being damaged and dented, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has deferred its inauguration to November 15 from November 1.
“The BBMP is yet to complete several works such as signs, painting and pavements. So it is bound to get delayed,” said BMTC (IT, Security and Vigilance) director.“Due to the rains, works such as thermoplastic painting could not be completed. At least 60-70 per cent of the bollards have been damaged, and even some of the new ones are getting dented. So now, we will have to look into installing CCTV cameras,” said BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar.
On whether they are reconsidering the use of bollards, Kumar said, “We will see what needs to be done.”
Earlier, Kumar had told The New Indian Express that the cost of each bollard is between Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000. The BBMP had also skipped tenders and taken up the work on its own to meet its November 1 deadline.
The routes, from Lowry Junction to Marathahalli, were on trial since October 20, and it was soon to start from Marathahalli to Iblur Junction. The project is under the umbrella of four agencies — Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) and DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport).
BMTC Managing Director C Shikha said the corporation has brought in 54 traffic supervisors to ensure that the system is in place. Apart from this, 70 BMTC buses have installed CCTV cameras, which can record other vehicles entering the lane. “These will be shared with the traffic police soon to impose penalties,” she told The New Indian Express.
She added that an extensive plan is being looked at to spread awareness among commuters so as to not enter double yellow-lined lanes.