Jalahalli Cross underpass project gets fresh push with GBA Chief Commissioner’s inspection

Nearly eight years after an underpass was planned at Jalahalli Cross, fresh hopes of its implementation have emerged following an inspection by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao on Friday.

Mr. Rao inspected Jalahalli Cross, along with Bengaluru West City Corporation Commissioner K.V. Rajendra, and directed officials to begin preparatory works after acquiring the required properties.

According to the GBA sources, the project requires acquisition of 48 properties. The west corporation has already taken possession of 22 properties, while 26 more are yet to be acquired.

Planned in early 2019, the project has seen no on-ground work as controversies stalled its implementation. The Jalahalli Road stretch from Gangamma Circle to Jalahalli Circle also falls under two Assembly constituencies, necessitating coordinated efforts.

Crucial for clearing traffic

The junction is crucial, with thousands of buses arriving in Bengaluru from several districts passing through it. The intersection sees convergence of traffic from two major highways, Bengaluru-Mangaluru and Tumakuru, making it one of the city’s most notorious traffic bottlenecks.

The junction is also a boarding point for several private inter-district buses and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses. A large number of people from Tumakuru and other nearby districts use the junction for their daily commute to work in Bengaluru.

Citing the importance of the junction and persistent traffic congestion, Mr. Rao directed the officials to expedite land acquisition. He also instructed them to construct a service road on the land already acquired for the underpass to facilitate vehicular movement along the route during construction.

If work begins, this will be the third stalled underpass project to move towards implementation this year, following the commencement of work on two other projects—the Wind Tunnel Junction and Okalipuram underpasses—earlier this year.

White-topping

Mr. Rao also inspected the ongoing Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) works along a 2.5-km stretch from NTTF via Sonal Garments to TVS Cross Junction in west Bengaluru, where white-topping work is planned. The commissioner directed the officials to closely monitor the work and ensure its completion within the deadline.

“Once the pipeline work is completed, vehicular movement should be allowed on one side of the road while traffic on the other side is restricted to facilitate white-topping work,” Mr. Rao told officials.