BENGALURU: In a first for the city, Bengaluru will get a dedicated fire hydrant network on RT Street in the historic ‘Pete’ area, with Greater Bengaluru Authority’s Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-Smile) set to inaugurate the white-topped stretch from Shreenivasa Mandir Road to Avenue Road, and Tank Bund Road (Upparpet Police Station to Shantala Junction) in Gandhinagar constituency on Monday.
The two corridors are part of a Rs 58.44-crore project to comprehensively develop eight key roads under the Government of Karnataka grants 2023–24, with white-topping in Gandhinagar Assembly constituency.
The state-of-the-art fire hydrant network has been introduced to address a long-standing challenge in the densely built-up ‘Pete’ area, where narrow roads often prevent fire tenders from reaching the site of emergencies in time.
“To resolve this and ensure immediate response, a dedicated firefighting pipeline system has been installed. This is a pioneering concept implemented on Bengaluru’s streets,” B-Smile officials said on Sunday.
Both corridors are illuminated by international-standard, antique-finish LED streetlights and feature thermoplastic road markings, ensuring enhanced safety, aesthetics and smooth traffic flow for the citizens of Bengaluru, B-Smile officials said.
“An achievement of this overall project is the total elimination of future road excavations, made possible by integrating a dedicated underground HDPE utility duct network alongside Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) water supply and sewer lines,” they added.
Tank Bund Road upgraded
Developed at a cost of Rs 8.74crore, this 418m critical stretch of Tank Bund Road has been upgraded with a 10.5m-wide carriageway utilising 180mm thick Pavement Quality Concrete (PQC). It features a 1,000mm diameter Storm Water Drain (SWD), brushed concrete pedestrian footpaths, and organised utility ducting (Power and OFC) routed through 40 dedicated chambers.
The road also features ‘Eeze’, a precast toilet facility by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) catering to massive daily footfall of Metro, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) commuters in this busy central hub.
Constructed entirely using precast technology from the foundation upwards, it utilises a unique ‘percolated concept’ to effectively eliminate bad odours. This highly accessible facility features dedicated washrooms for men, women, transgenders and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), complete with ramp access, officials said.
RT Street
Developed at a project cost of Rs 2.52 crore, this 645m corridor in the bustling commercial hub features a 3m-wide carriageway constructed with 150mm thick PQC. The stretch has been beautified with buffer zones laid with grey and red zigzag pavers.
