Sankey Road to run at two levels if govt okays plan

The BBMP engineering wing admitted that they have to acquire lands belonging to the convent school and also the government to take up the project.
An artist’s impression of the proposed Sankey Tank Road
An artist’s impression of the proposed Sankey Tank Road

BENGALURU: To ease traffic congestion on Sankey Tank Road, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has proposed to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to construct a two-lane road at the ground level below the bridge.

The BBMP engineering wing admitted that they have to acquire lands belonging to the convent school and also the government to take up the project. While they are clear that the lake land cannot be touched because of environmental reasons, they are not concerned about the loss of tree canopy on the stretch.

A BBMP engineer told The New Indian Express, “The traffic congestion on this stretch is a major worry. We have two roads to be widened immediately -- Palace Road and Sankey Road. While Palace Road is under litigation, there is no such issue here. The idea was also suggested by Malleswaram MLA and IT-BT Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan.”

The existing two-lane road is 7.5 metre wide and the BBMP proposes to construct a road of same width at the ground level. “The road will be at two levels. We are looking at it as an engineering challenge as we have to tackle the slope,” the engineer said.

‘Each stretch will be a one-way’

“We will have to acquire land measuring around 15- 25 feet from the road belonging to institutions. The tree canopy can be recreated after the road is constructed. The school is 100 feet away from the existing road,” the engineer said. The proposal, presented to the government in January this year, has been pending because of the legislature session and budget.

The proposal does not find place in the BBMP budget too. “Single-lane roads are a major concern for civic agencies. We either have to widen the road or construct flyovers. Once the new Sankey Road is constructed, each stretch will be a one-way to ensure that there are no traffic jams and long waiting periods,” the engineer said.

The engineers, however, were unable to answer as to why they are not talking to the traffic police to alter the traffic signal waiting period and create green corridors for quicker movement of vehicles at the junction.

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The New Indian Express
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