Authorities plan Bannerghatta junction development works
CH NEWS, BENGALURU In a decisive move to address mounting urban mobility challenges, Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao has ordered officials to immediately draft a comprehensive Detailed Project Report aimed at modernizing key traffic junctions along Bannerghatta Main Road, stretching from Gottigere to Tavarekere. The directive follows a rigorous, on-ground inspection conducted across a vital 3.2-kilometer corridor between the Kalena Agrahara Metro Station and the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore Metro Station. Accompanied by South City Corporation Commissioner K.N. Ramesh, Chief Engineers Basavaraj Kabade and Malathi, alongside senior representatives from the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Metro, and the Traffic Police Department, the Chief Commissioner scrutinized persistent infrastructure bottlenecks hindering daily commuters. A central pillar of the newly mandated project is pedestrian safety. During the inspection, Rao noted significant hazards, particularly near the Kalena Agrahara Metro Station where bus stops sit a mere 50 meters away yet lack safe, continuous pedestrian pathways. Observing a narrow 10.5-meter carriageway devoid of adequate sidewalks, he instructed engineers to evaluate site-specific spatial constraints and formulate robust engineering solutions. Furthermore, the inspection highlighted treacherous road-crossing conditions, prompting directives to install mid-block pedestrian refuge islands and design secure crossing zones through road medians. The Commissioner also took strict aim at structural encroachments clogging existing footpaths and drainage systems. Directing coordinated inter-departmental action, he ordered telecom operators to relocate obstructive Optical Fibre Cable chambers and dangling wires. Similar pressure was applied to utility providers and law enforcement, with clear orders to shift blocking BESCOM Ring Main Unit equipment onto private property lines and relocate obstructive traffic police booths to alternative junction spaces. Additionally, municipal teams were tasked with immediately casting and installing missing concrete slabs over open storm-water drains to eliminate severe public safety risks. By demanding an integrated approach that balances vehicular flow with pedestrian protection, city authorities hope to transform this bustling corridor into a safe, accessible arterial route for thousands of daily Bengaluru commuters.
