

BENGALURU: Focusing on smooth vehicular movement and pedestrian safety, Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao has directed officials to prepare and submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the development of junctions along Bannerghatta Main Road, from Gottigere to Tavarekere.
During an inspection of footpaths along the approximately 3.2-km stretch from Kalena Agrahara Metro Station to IIMB Metro Station on Tuesday, he identified various issues affecting pedestrian movement and instructed officials to address them on priority basis.
Noting that there is no safe pedestrian pathway despite the bus stop being only about 50metres from Kalena Agrahara Metro Station, Rao instructed officials to take necessary steps to provide a footpath.
Observing that Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) chambers and cables installed along footpaths and near open drains were obstructing pedestrian movement, Rao instructed officials to coordinate with the cable operators concerned and take steps to relocate them to suitable locations. He emphasised that the arrangements must ensure unobstructed pedestrian movement and facilitate the maintenance of drains without any hindrance.
He also ordered the relocation of Traffic Police Cabins and Bescom’s Ring Main Unit (RMU) equipment blocking the footpath, to other convenient locations. Observing that pedestrians lacked adequate facilities to cross the road on several stretches of Bannerghatta Road, and that the design of some existing crossings was inadequate, he instructed officials to provide mid-block crossings through the road median wherever necessary.
He also directed officials to construct pedestrian refuge islands at suitable locations to enable pedestrians to wait safely while crossing the road.