Karnataka - Bangalore   

BMP changes plan on road widening

Staff Reporter

It decides to reduce the widening of some roads from 20 ft to 10 ft.

BANGALORE: Yielding to pressure from traders in commercial areas of old Bangalore, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) Council on Saturday resolved to reduce the widening of Avenue Road, Aralupet, OTC Road, Balepet and surrounding roads from the proposed 20 ft to 10 ft.

Though the Standing Committee on Town Planning and Works in the BMP had proposed to drop old commercial areas from the list of roads identified for road widening using "transferable development rights" (TDR), the officials were determined to go ahead with it. The committee's proposal, which was pending with the council for almost six months, was finally approved on Saturday.

According to the resolution, reducing the widening by 10 ft will help in protecting the ancient places of worship and other buildings of historical importance on the Old Bangalore roads.

The committee had received several representations from the traders to protect old buildings such as the Anjaneyaswamy Temple near the Sri Krishna Rajendra (SKR) Market, the Rice Memorial Church on Avenue Road, the Venkatswamy Temple on K.G. Road, the Tawakkal Mastan Sab Dargah at Balepet, the Tipu Sultan fort on K.R. Road, Chikkalalbagh on Tank Bund Road and the Central Muslim Association building on Arcot Srinivasachar Street.

"Though it had earlier been decided to widen old Bangalore areas such as Aralupet, Avenue Road, OTC Road, Balepet, BVK Iyengar Road, Arcot Srinivasachar Street and Goodshed Road by 20 ft on either side of the road, it has been decided to recommend widening by only 10 ft so that these monuments can be protected," the resolution stated.

Review of works

BMP Commissioner K. Jothiramalingam said he would soon convene a special review meeting of contractors entrusted with road upgrading under the World Bank-funded Karnataka Municipal Reforms Project (KMRP).

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