BENGALURU: The much-dreaded spot for motorists heading from Whitefield, Gunjur and Panathur towards Sarjapur Road and Silk Board Junction is the Railway Level Crossing near the Carmelaram Railway Station. To help commuters, the Railway Board recently sanctioned a Road Over Bridge here.
Motorists get stuck here anywhere between 15 and 35 minutes when the gates are shut for trains to pass. There is absolute chaos when the boom barrier opens and vehicles race ahead in opposite directions.
The New Indian Express has a copy of the letter dated November 18 which has sanctioned the bridge at LC Gate no. 132 at a cost of Rs 40.3 crore. The Railways will put in Rs 11.26 crore, while the State government Rs 29.09 crore, it says.
A senior BBMP official said that they have completed the survey and identified properties that have to be acquired for the bridge. “Soon, we will issue a notification for the acquisition of these properties. We can compensate property owners in the form of the Transfer of Developmental Rights. If they need cash, then the approval has to be given by the government,” he said. The land acquisition would take at least six months, he added.
But the Railways need not wait for acquisition to begin work. “The main carriage way of the bridge comes in the portion of land belonging to the State Government. The work can progress in these areas. By the time they complete some work there, we can hand over other pieces of land,” he said.
A top railway official confirmed that the approval has been received for the project. “No deadline has been fixed for the completion of the bridge now. It can be done after land acquisition is completed,” he said.
Sanjeev Dyamannavar, urban transportation expert, said, “This will offer relief for both rail and road traffic.
With the doubling work on between Baiyappanahalli and Hosur, double the number of trains that were run before Covid can run along the stretch. Trains need not slow down mindful of a level crossing ahead. The IT crowd heading towards Sarjapur and Silk Board Junction from Whitefield take this road as it the shortest route. It will really be a big relief if they do not have a gate here anymore.”