BENGALURU: There are two foot-over bridges (FOBs) in close proximity to each other, presently connecting either side of the Old Madras Road, the new one built by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) for the Beniganahalli Metro station and the much-older one of the BBMP. Despite the BMRCL repeatedly requesting the BBMP to dismantle its bridge, it has not been done, say Metro officials.
They insist the traffic on the road will be smoother if this is done.
BMRCL Executive Director Ashok Kumar Mathur told TNIE, “The traffic situation in this junction will be considerably eased if BBMP removes the FOB. The landing of the bridge and its flight of stairs occur on the busy Old Madras Road. Vehicles need to go around it. We have widened much of the road and have left out a portion where the old bridge is present. Our contractor is waiting to complete the road work here too.”
He added that BMRCL had written to the BBMP over two months ago, as soon as the operations started on the KR Pura-Baiyappanahalli Metro stretch to remove it. “It has still not been done. The FOB by BMRCL is a modern one with elevator facilities and easily helps one cross either side of the road or access the Metro station,” he informed.
Another senior Metro official said that if BBMP was unwilling to remove it, BMRCL was ready to do it on its own.
PJ Chaitanya, Traffic Inspector, KR Pura said: “Much of the traffic congestion in the area has been sorted out. It will improve if the bridge is removed. I am pursuing the matter regularly with both the BMRCL and the BBMP.”
“It will be done shortly. It is only one day’s job for us. We have decided to shift the bridge near Skyline Apartments, which is behind the present location,” a BBMP official said. KM Naveen, Assistant Manager of Vantage, the agency which built the bridge for BBMP, said, “We will do it within 10 days. It was delayed due to much paperwork to be done to get the clearances.”