ALSO PUBLISHED FROM: Hyderabad Delhi / NCR Pune Mumbai Fashion | Health | Lifestyle | Entertainment | Interiors | Community VOL 6 ISSUE # 36 PAGES 8 BANGALORE - RAJAJINAGAR MAY 23 - 29, 2013 www.jagrancityplus.com UNDERPASS STUCK IN A LIMBO Ever since the construction of the CNR Rao underpass near Indian Institute of Science (IISc) began, residents of Maramma Circle, Cauvery Junction, Yeshwanthpur Circle, Sankey Tank, 17th and 18th Cross Mallehswaram and commuters travelling from Rajajinagar are bearing the brunt of the construction. Inefficiency, shortage of manpower and a never-ending blame game between the contractor and civic agencies have bogged down the project. The new deadline set by the BBMP is now August 2013. PERENNIAL PAIN The inordinate delay of underpass is causing problems to people living in the vicinity PAIN: CITYPLUS NEWSDESK THE Yeshwanthpur underpass that connects three major areas, Malleshwaram, Rajajinagar and Yeshwanthpur is still incomplete. For the past three years, the CN Rao underpass has hit a rough patch for various reasons and has become an unending project. The construction seems to be going at snail's pace with breaks for long intervals. Tired of waiting for some action to happen, civilians are only asking for the authorities to provide an expected time of completion. The elaborate project began in January, 2010 for the construction of an underpass connecting Yeshwanthpur to Maramma Circle which is about 329.41 metres and then again from Yeshwanthpur to Mekhri Circle which measures about 334.08 metres. The ongoing C N R Rao Circle construction is projected to be a unique Y-shaped underpass. It was also projected to facilitate free flow of traffic towards Maramma Circle, Yeshwanthpur and Mekhri circle. Three carriageways were to be introduced in this belt, two between Yeshwanthpur and Maramma Circle; and one from Yeshwanthpur to Mekhri circle, which will have one way traffic flow towards Mekhri circle. Madhav Hytech, the infrastructure company had bagged the tender for this project, had started the work in January 2010 with a joint venture with another firm ECCI. Fed up of the current condition of the road, Kalpana, a resident of 8th Main, Malleshwaram said, "This construction started three years ago with a promise of completion within two years. Which means it should have been complete by now and the traffic chaos should have been reduced. But traffic mess has considerably increased since the construction began in January, 2010." This issue has become a matter of emergency now because monsoon rains are soon expected to lash the city. Motorists are losing patience as the traffic is going haywire due to water that clogs in the steep half-constructed muddy underpass. "This so-called underpass is full of broken patches where water can gather during rains. It becomes very difficult to pass through this patch especially for two-wheelers since there is no proper lighting here. I take this road everyday but those who are not very familiar with this route, inevitably get their bike wheels stuck in those muddy patches," says a frustrated motorist, Prashanth who frequents a service road near the underpass. When Cityplus spoke to BBMP's superintendent engineer KT Nagaraj, he said, "The project t will be over before August 2013. Ever since the project was announced, there was some or the other hurdle. At first it was the contractor's problem which is now solved and ECCI is finally y executing the project. We also had to face some land acquisition problems from BWSSB and BHEL, but now that that has also been cleared. We have opened single line traffic movement from Malleshwaram side and the service roads on both sides are also open." While motorists are battling out for space, the construction company, civic body and traffic cops keep passing the buck. Hope the new deadline will be met and commuters will breathe a sigh of relief.