BANGALORE: There may finally be some good news for commuters using Tannery Road, Bannergatta Road, Halagevaderahalli Road and Mission Road.The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to increase the width of five essential roads.In the pipeline are five roads for widening, of which four are ready while the plan for the fifth road, Kacharakanahalli Road will be decided in the next budget.Speaking on the matter C K Ramamurthy BBMP’s Standing Committee for Town Planning’s chairman, said that 11.5 kilometres of Bannergatta Road from Hosur-Lashkar Road junction up to Gottigere has been proposed for widening.The estimated cost for the same is approximately Rs. 25 crore.Apart from the road widening the committee has also planned for two underpasses on the road. “We are planning for two underpasses. One at the JP Nagar- Bannergatta junction while the other one would be near Arekere Main Road,” he said. The estimated budget for each under pass according to Ramamurthy is Rs. 15 crore.Speaking of the road Ramchandra, chairman for Major Road Department (MRD) said that the 11.5 kilometre stretch on Bannergatta Road once widened, will be a 100 foot road. Tannery Road which has also been proposed for widening will soon be an 80 feet road. Ramamurthy said that 4.5 kilometre of the road will be widened. He also informed City Express that the budget for the road is approximately Rs. 4.5 crore.Halagevaderahalli Road in Rajarajeshwarinagar limits will also see 4.5 kilometre of widening while only 2 kilometre of Tannery Road will be widened.“Of the 4.5 kilometre on Halagevaderahalli Road only 400 metres will be paid.The 2 kilometre stretch on Tannery Road will be 80 feet wide, where as Halagevaderahalli Road will be 60 feet wide,” informed Ramachandra.Meanwhile, there seems to be a bit of confusion when it comes to the fifth road for widening.While Ramamurthy said that Kacharakanahalli Road will be discussed in the next budget, the chairman for MRD said that the road in question has still not been decided, but it would be one of the main and essential roads which will be widened.As far as inconvenience caused to the residents is concerned, Ramamurthy asserted that permission had been taken and the public has welcomed the plan with open arms.“The public is happy with the plan. We did not even have to pay them. In fact, many residents have agreed for TDR (Transferable Development Rights) formula and are ready to part with their properties,” insisted the chairman for town planning.He also said that the Palike will not have to cut many trees on these roads, and hence the environmentalist and the public sentiments will not be hurt.“These roads witness heavy vehicular movement, widening them will only ease the troubled situation and make commuting less of a pain than it is now,” he said.While the Palike is all set to widen new roads, what about the older ones? There are many roads in the city where land has been acquired and cleared for asphalting, yet the Palike has not done anything about these roads.Speaking about the existing roads which are yet to be asphalted Ramachandra said that work is in progress on all the roads in the city which have been slated for widening.“Depending on the budget and the funds released we can proceed. If the funds are not there, we cannot proceed. As far as widening of these five roads is concerned, they will be time bound. But unfortunately we can not set a deadline yet,” he said.
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