7 road-over-bridges in Bengaluru may face delay in completion for want of land, funds from BBMP

BENGALURU: Seven road-overunderbridges (RuBRoB), being built by the railways in Bengaluru, could face delay in completion for want of small portions of land, and funds from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
The BBMP shares half the project cost with the railways if there is an existing level-crossing with a vehicular traffic of one lakh-plus units. If it is less or there is no level-crossing, then the civic body is required to bear the project cost in full.

Union Law & Justice Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who represents Bengaluru North in the Lok Sabha, told ET that if the seven projects are completed soon, they could reduce the city's traffic congestion by 10-15%. “As railway minister, I inspected these projects to ensure their early completion. But the BBMP is not re pletion. But the BBMP is not releasing its share of funds.Now what can be completed in one year could take several months for completion,“ Gowda said.

The railway authorities, however, sounded more worried over being able to get the small portions of land near the project sites without delay. These lands, outside of the railway area, are needed to build approach roads.

The seven projects that are stuck for want of land in approach areas are the ones at Jalahalli, Muthyalanagar (near Mathikere), Kengeri (Dubasiplaya, near the railway sta tion), Jakkur (behind the airport), Nagawara (near Arabic College, Tannery Road), Kaggadasapura (near DRDO), and at Shankarnag Gate (at JP Park, Mathikere). Out of these, the projects at Muthyalanagar, Jakkur and Jalahalli can be thrown open to public use if the BBMP releases the ap proach land. At Shankarnag Gate, Nagawara, Kaggadasapura and Kengeri, the projects are non-starters for want of land, railway officials said.

“We have written to the BBMP Commissioner, and we are waiting for the land to be handed over to us,“ a railway official said. In one case, the land involved belongs to the Ministry of Defence.

Railway officials said that they have been waiting for the land for the past six months. The BBMP Commissioner, they say, has been very responsive, but they expected him to step up his efforts and hand over the land. At two places, RPC Layout (RuB) and Allalasandra (RoB), the railways hopes to complete the projects in three to five months.

The railway authorities, howev er, said they have not allowed the issue of funds to come in the way of projects. “We have not stopped work anywhere over the issue of funds. We are taking overdraft from the railways and, continuing with the projects in the hope that the BBMP will fulfil its obligation at the earliest,“ said Ashok Gupta, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), South Western Railway , Bengaluru. The BBMP owes about Rs 23 crore to the railways in respect of the ongoing projects.

BBMP Commissioner Lakshmi Narayana said the cost-sharing with the railways is an ongoing process, and they would keep on releasing funds as projects progressed. “We have initiated the process, and will release the money soon,“ he said. As for transferring lands, he sounded hopeful of being able to do it sooner as the lands needed are very small in size. Meanwhile, the railways have also taken up a RoB project at Malleshwaram (near the Mysore Lamps Brigade Gateway junction).