Karnataka CM inaugurated 'Rapid Road' at Binnamangala Junction, directs officials to work on cost reduction

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday inaugurated the much anticipatied 'Rapid Road' work at Binnamangala in Bengaluru City. He asked the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to work on cost reduction, following which the traffic was allowed on one side of carriagway. 

The pilot project of Rapid Road Work (RRW) taken up between Binnamangala, 100 Feet Road Indiranagara Junction and Old Madras Road which is said to stretch upto BDA Junction.

Speaking to media, CM said, "The work was much faster compared to the White Topping Project. The pilot project will be observed for 15 days to know its feasability. Over 20 tonnes of weight can pass on this newly built stretch. The technology involved laying of precast concrete slabs, joining each of them systematically. The cost is more when compared to White Topping. I have asked the BBMP officials to work on reducing the cost and directed them to give a report on this."

Whitetopping is the covering of an existing asphalt pavement with a layer of Portland cement concrete.

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According to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, under RRW, the cost of one km stretch is 20 percent more when compared to white topping work which takes long duration. The officials also observed that, for cities like Bengaluru which have a high density of traffic, this method works. 

Palike considered the project on this stretch as this route if fixed at the earliest can decongest City traffic specially near NGEF, Biyappanahalli and Indiranagar 100 feet road.

The officials briefed CM that, the Precast tensioning concrete ( laying of  ready made slabs and connecting them by steel cables on either side with joints of each slab) can be fixed using cranes and fix the road length of 150 meters in a day or two and traffic can be allowed at the earliest. The project costs about Rs 9 crores per kilometer, a 20 per cent more than White Topping Project and the road lasts  for fourty years.