BENGALURU: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad on Monday said that the steel flyover at Shivananda Circle will be completed by April next year.There were some legal hurdles, which have been cleared, and contractors and engineers directed to complete work at the earliest, he told reporters during an early morning inspection drive to take stock of delayed flyover works in West and Central Bengaluru on Monday. He was accompanied by BBMP Administrator Gaurav Gupta.
The flyover, which connects to Crescent Road, stretches for half a kilometre. Work has been delayed due to the pandemic. Prasad and Gupta visited the much-delayed eight-lane Okalipuram corridor and flyover project along West of Chord Road. This was the second time the administrator visited Okalipuram flyover since taking charge. The flyover is also a matter of concern for the civic body as a portion had to be recently closed for more than a week to drain out rainwater that had submerged the road. Diversions due to the flyover also made commute a difficult and time-consuming exercise.
Commuters point out that water stagnates below the flyover after every downpour, making it impossible for motorists to navigate the stretch. Autorickshaws refuse to take passengers through this stretch during rain. The commissioner and administrator asked engineers to coordinate with the Railways and Water Board to speed up work. However, the engineers were unable to commit to any deadline for completion of the eight-lane corridor work. The engineers said the Railways have to complete Tumakuru railway track-box construction, after which the rest can be done.