Give a deadline for Ballari road widening: Karnataka High Court to BBMP

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday asked the BBMP to file a comprehensive response indicating the deadline for completing the widening work of Ballari Road from Mehkri Circle to Cauvery Junction and Jayamahal Road, and from Mehkri Junction to Cantonment Railway Station.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice MGS Kamal passed the order after going through an affidavit submitted by the BBMP during the hearing of a PIL filed by NGO Samarpana Socio-Cultural Organisation in 2020.  

It was stated in the affidavit that a majority of the road widening between Mekhri Circle and Cauvery Junction is completed and the remaining would be completed as early as possible, preferably in a span of a month-and-a-half. 

The court said the affidavit is focusing on a particular part of the road-widening project, from Gate 4 of Palace Grounds to Cauvery Junction, and 90 per cent of asphalting is completed. 

At this stage, “we must note that it creates an impression that the entire work of road-widening is 90 per cent... This being the position, this is for the court to seek a response from BBMP on what is the position of the entire road widening project and to what extent complete, what is time stipulated for completing the entire widening, what are the safety measures taken by the BBMP to avoid mishaps such as accidents given widening work on heavy traffic roads and particularly night hours because non-availability of cautionary sign boards”, the court said. 

The BBMP stated that it needs to complete the construction of Storm Water Drain (SWD) chambers on the stretch situated on the extreme left side of the road between Gate 4 and Cauvery Junction.