A risky ride on expressway

BENGALURU: The Electronics City Elevated Expressway, when built about seven years ago to provide a faster and signal-free corridor for motorists, was a showpiece of urban road infrastructure in the bustling and ever-growing IT city. But today, it is anything but that when it rains.Come rain and this two-lane expressway sees waterlogging at several places, making it a risky ride for commuters.

After a recent spell of rain, Rajesh Thimmaiah was driving his car along the expressway, where vehicles move at a high speed. When he least expected it, there was a splash of muddy water on his windshield from across the median, blocking his view completely. Taken aback, he froze for some time.
Similar has been the experience for many who take the expressway when it rains.
Thimmaiah said, “I take the stretch to reach office. Recently, when it rained, there was water-logging on the stretch. When vehicles coming on the opposite lane zoom past, they splash water across the median making visibility nil for other drivers.”

What makes it worse is that with vehicles moving at a high speed, drivers get no room to apply brakes and wait for the water to clear off.Jagadish, another commuter who takes the stretch every day, said, “It is particularly bad when there are heavy vehicles moving in the opposite direction. Water from the other side splashes on the windscreen. There are spots on the expressway where similar problem persists.”
During a drive along the expressway, Express found that plastic covers, disposable cups, bottles and paper had clogged the drain outlets, possibly leading to water-logging.

Rama N S, chief executive officer, Electronics City Industrial Township Authority, acknowledged the problem. She said it gets particularly difficult with water-logging as the stretch is narrow. She was quick to add, “Blaming the authorities for the problem could be one part of it. There is so much plastic thrown on the expressway. Unless there is citizen participation, nothing works.”Spokesperson of Bangalore Elevated Tollway Pvt Ltd, the agency responsible for maintening the stretch, said their work was up to the mark and it was the design of the road that leads to water-logging.“There are slopes in certain sections of the expressway. There is water logging at the lay-byes opposite Infosys, Hosur Road Junction and before the Metro,” he said.  

Need real-time monitoring

Adding to the woes of commuters is the bumper-to-bumper traffic on this narrow stretch. Rama said putting technology in place could ensure that the expressway is in better condition. “There are cameras fitted on the flyover. Authorities managing it must keep a watch and take the help of video analytics to maintain traffic on the stretch.”She added that with vehicle breakdowns and frequent accidents, traffic is thrown out of gear. “It is a question of managing. Even if one vehicle breaks down midway, there is a pile-up of traffic,” she added.

Also a party zone

The lay-byes on the Electronics City Expressway have turned into an ideal spot for late-night revellers. Leftover food, empty alcohol bottles and cups can be seen lying throughout the stretch.