german uniforms

The heat generated by citizens’ action contesting BDA’s Koramangala signal free corridor project is as much as the heat to come from the traffic snarls when four junctions here are dug up soon.

Work to start right away

BDA Engineer Member T N Chikkarayappa says that work would begin by May 2nd. An official at Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) - which has the contract for the project - says that construction work itself would start in full swing at all junctions by May 4th or 5th. “In two junctions - Krupanidhi College and St John’s - we first have to shift utilities like water lines. In Jakkasandra and 80 ft road junctions work can start right away,” he says.

St John’s and IIA managements have not yet decided on further course of action. St John’s management is in talks with BDA. Chikkarayappa says that BDA is ready to offer alternate land, financial compensation or TDR as per the management’s requirement.

IIA Director Prof S S Hasan is reserving his comments until a report is out from CiSTUP (Centre for Infrastructure, Sustainable Transport and Urban Planning) of IISc. BDA itself had entrusted CiSTUP to prepare a report on the project as residents had been opposing it. This report is expected to be out this week. Chikkarayappa says that IIA should have no issue giving up the land as it is a government body.

On why BDA is acquiring land now, Chikkarayappa says that acquisition is only minimal. “As road width is not uniform throughout, small stretches of land may be acquired. This should not be an issue.”