Service road to RoB could turn dangerous for vehicles

HUBBALLI: Inauguration of the much-awaited railway over-bridge (RoB) at Desai Circle Junction on the busy Hubballi-Vijayapura National Highway 218 could have brought cheers to many, but the service road to the bridge, which was planned at a later stage, is expected to an “accident-prone” stretch.
The service road could pose danger to commuters due to lack of sufficient space, hurried implementation and absence of signage boards. The initial plan had no provision for connectivity between Circuit House, where VIP movement is frequent, and RoB. District in-charge minister Jagadish Shettar himself revealed that a wall compound was removed a day before the inauguration of RoB.
“There is need to take precautionary measures to avoid accidents on this stretch,” he said.
Suresh Kiresur, chairman, Association of Consul ting Civil Engineers, said there is lack of plan in the execution of RoB and service road at Desai Circle. “The authorities are constructing just 1012 feet road which is not sufficient to facilitate VIP movements. Moreover, if the VIP convoy or private vehicles are coming from the Keshwapur end, they have to take a right turn at 90 degree in a narrow underpass,” he said.
Veteran cardiologist Dr G B Sattur, who has a hospital near Desai Circle, said RoB is an excellent idea, but the road underbridge plan is dangerous. He said the authorities should place concave and convex mirrors on the service road and underpass. “Traffic police should be deployed here until the construction is over,” he said. Manish Jain, a businessman who uses the road, said incomplete service roads are a threat for vehicles. “Dangerous edges of roads are unsafe for smaller vehicles. Many minor accidents are going unreported,” he said.