BENGALURU: Even as the authorities are trying to eliminate railway level crossings in the city, the “almost complete” road under bridge (RUB) in Babusapalya, which falls under the Bengaluru East City Corporation, stands as a testimony of poor infrastructure planning and has turned into a garbage dumping yard.
The RUB, constructed jointly by the South Western Railways (SWR) and the erstwhile BBMP, was intended to replace a level crossing and ease congestion on the road leading to the Outer Ring Road and Horamavu Agara. The structure, almost complete, remains unusable owing to the absence of an approach road on one side.
Local residents allege that flawed planning and poor coordination rendered the project ineffective. “Originally, the Babusapalya Road near the LC was marked for widening. Had that happened, a road overbridge could have been built instead of this underpass with sharp turns,” said Varkey Thomas, a long-time resident of the locality. He said notices were issued years ago and markings were done, but the road widening project never took off.
Instead, authorities opted for a U-turn “magic box” underpass, with foundation work beginning in December 2022. However, it was only after the construction work was done that the officials realised large vehicles could not navigate the turns. Proposals were made to acquire small portions of adjacent properties to widen and facilitate turns, but residents say no formal acquisition notices were served.
Shrikanth, the secretary of Mallappa Layout Residents Welfare Association, said repeated representations made to the erstwhile BBMP proved futile. “Proper planning or a feasibility study was not done.
The RUB now remains unopened, with authorities shifting the blame on to the Railways,” he said.
With no access road and no clear timeline for commissioning, the unused structure has deteriorated, Shrikanth said, adding, “Garbage is dumped on both sides of the structure and even burnt daily, raising health concerns.”
Prannab Pani, another local resident, echoed concerns over sanitation and safety, alleging that waste burning and illegal activities were thriving along the stretch.