The end in sight?
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the Jayadeva flyover (at the intersection of Bannerghatta Road and Ring Road)? Perennial construction work? An unfinished concrete structure? Vehicles diverted through narrow bylanes? Traffic jams?
You might have to erase those images from your mind. The Jayadeva flyover-underpass seems to be completed! The sign boards have been put up, and the roads are being tarred!
Work was begun on this flyover in Feb 2003, and was scheduled for completion in April 2004. Due to various glitches, the completion date was postponed to Feb 2005.
But that deadline also flew past, though the main ramp of the flyover was opened around that time. But the construction of the underpass went on, seemingly endlessly, but now it seems that the end is finally in sight.
All the residents of the bylanes around the area, who had to put up with diverted traffic for an unexpectedly long time, can now heave a huge sigh of relief. And the traffic should hopefully ease up around the region.
I only hope I am not speaking too soon! :)
I read recently that the Anand Rao Circle flyover is still in a mess and has done nothing to ease traffic jams. Hope this does not repeat itself here!
The Richmond Circle Flyover is useless; the Anand Rao Circle Flyover is equally bad. Donno whether experienced traffic experts are involved in such designs.
Ravi Oh, I always thought that the Anandarao flyover was pretty good. Maybe I have not travelled around that area in the peak hour.
Naveen: Richmond circle flyover is the one with the signal, right? :) I haven’t used it too much. But I do hope that the Jayadeva flyover will make things better, coz this is one that I use everyday!
Shruthi: Yup, thats the one…and it would have been funny, if not for the crores of taxpayers’ money down the drain.
And underpasses, such as the one at Mekhri Circle, become waterlogged at times due to the poor rain water drainage system during their construction.
Hebbal interchange is by far the best in Bangalore. Other flyovers usually run into clogged junctions at their ramps.
One thing I liked when I visited Hyderabad was that along a few major arterial roads, all junctions had flyovers or were getting new flyovers. So there was no question of traffic stopping anywhere on those roads. In Bangalore’s case, the authorities construct flyovers without bothering about the traffic situation down the road.
Yes this blockade has been a severe source of stress for me and visitors to my house for the past 3 years. people come up to this point and then lose their way when they have to take the diversion and join back on Bannerghatta road after Shoppers’ stop. Last weekend soemoen took the BTM lay out road and called me from Silkboard. I really really wait for the day it will be open for traffic – I may even celebrate!
Naveen: Hmm that’s true – I found a link on “How not to design flyovers” – http://www.madmanweb.com/archives/0607how_not_to_design_a_flyover.html – check it out. I am not qualified to comment on its veracity, but I found it interesting.
Usha: Yes, I just need to commute through it, and I find it so tedious – I cannot imagine the lives of people living around that area.
We once had to visit someone living near the flyover, and we had a tough time locating the place!
I find both the Ananda Rao circle flyover and Richmond circle flyover very useful. I’m a regular user of both.
The traffic signal on top, baffling as it may be, helps ease traffic flow greatly.
Jace: That’s good to know! Thank you :)