Plan to widen roads in Whitefield and Electronics City hits barrier

BENGALURU: Thousands of commuters, especially techies heading daily to the two major technology hubs - Whitefield and Electronics City - may not get respite from traffic snarls anytime soon, since the widening project involving three major roads has been put on hold due to the government’s plan of building elevated corridors on the same stretches.

BBMP, which had proposed widening of Varthur-Dommasandra road, and stretches on Sarjapura Road-Gunjur and Sarjapura Road-Parappana Agrahara near Hosur Road, has realised that approval for the project may now be possible only in the 2020-21 budget.

The road widening project has been estimated to be for 18km, including the three roads, constructed at a cost of `180 crore. The project has been included in Revised Master Plan (RMP) 2031.

According to BBMP, the project aims to provide an alternative route between areas near Hosur Road and Whitefield.

The civic agency had sent the proposal to the government but the action plan has not been approved in the budget due to the proposed elevated corridor, which the government seems to be more excited about.  BBMP has now decided to put the road widening on hold till it gets clarity on the elevated corridor project, which will be taken up by Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd.

Besides the road widening project, BBMP had completed the Detailed Project Report for widening between Varthur-Gunjur and Sarjapura-Gunjur roads, which was not approved.

Nandeesh JR, executive engineer, Road Widening, BBMP, told TNIE, “The project’s action plan, sent to the government, has not been approved due to the elevated corridor plan. However, this has been one of the ambitious projects of BBMP. We will send it to the government in 2020-21. Many people travel between these areas and there is a need to provide an alternative road for them.”

Varthur Kodi-Dommasandra
The project proposes to widen the road between Varthur Kodi and Dommasandra via Sarjapura road that is 5km. The BBMP wants to widen the road from 25ft to 100ft, that will cost D76 crore. According to BBMP, the road widening has also been included in RMP 2015.

Sarjapur Road-Gunjur
BBMP has proposed to take up the widening work between Carmelaram Junction in Sarjapur Road and Gunjur Village, a 5km stretch, to make it a 60ft road from the current 25ft. The widening work will cost D40 crore.

Sarjapur Road-Parappana Agrahara near Hosur Road
BBMP has proposed to widen the 8km stretch between Sarjapura Road and Parappana Agrahara
via Kasavanahalli, from 25ft to 80ft, at a cost of D70 crore. It had proposed to make it a 60ft road as per RMP 2015, but had to increase it due to recommendations as per RMP 2031.