Driving on Mysore Road daily can be a nightmare. Choke points are many - in fact, I cannot think of any better candidate for SB's 'model road demonstration' project!
One of the many such chronic choke points, Junction in front of Gali Anjaneya Temple, was (and still is) to get a flyover. Here is how the project went:
From this entry: (June 05 2007)
The Palike chief engineer (projects) A K Gopalaswamy told this paper that the work was sanctioned by the government in February last but work started in November.
Work Sanctioned: Feb 2006
Work Started: Nov 2006
The Commissioner has set a fresh deadline..... Malleswaram grade separator will have to be completed by June and Gali Anjaneya junction and Yeshwanthpur junction grade separators by December.
So, will have to complete by: Dec '07 (notice new deadline after a delay).
BBMP 07/08 Budget (Mar 30, 2007) Item 27 (a) says :
I am happy to announce that the following ongoing Underpasses / Grade Separators will be completed during the year...
Gali Anjaneya Temple Junction, Cost 36.04 cr, Completion Dec '07
Meanwhile, fly-over work at Gali Anjaneya Swamy temple is expected to be completed within 15 months from date of commencement.
Construction for the project began in October 2006 with a 15-month deadline....
“We have now got permission from the government to carry out construction activities on the land where 45 properties (private) were located. Notification has already been issued in this connection and we will get the land within three to four months,” he [Engineer-in-Chief, BBMP, A K Gopalaswamy ] said.
“The maximum time it would take us to complete it would be June next year,”the Engineer-in-Chief said.
Now the new new deadline: June '08 (notice new deadline after a delay)
But June '08 came and passed. I still notice the same old half completed pillars in the drain. No visible sign of any work on Mysore road proper. I bet it would be at least two more years before anything is seen.
As of Fen 11 '08, According to BBMP, (SL # 8) 331.81 lacs of 2083 lacs of tender amount is expended.
What a model.... If there is a Praja Meeting with BBMP, let us not forget to bring it up and ask why. Hopefully this chronicle will get someone to notice.
Here is a contact I managed to get for the contractor NPCC. Let me see if I can reach anyone on Thursday! Hoping to hear NPCC side of the story...
SOUTHERN ZONE BANGALORE
R.P. AGARWAL, ZM rpagarwal dot npcc at nic dot in
080-23110309
GALI ANJANEYA TEMPLE FLYOVER WORKS
V.S. JAYAKUMAR, UO
080-23110309
Thanks,
Ravi
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Comments
awesome post Ravi
Rated it awesome because you are not merely reporting or complaining, you are chasing it to get some information. If only 50-60 of us (not more) do this chasing-after-projects on a regular basis, we may start seeing some change. 50-60, not more. I am told we have 1500 registered members here. Taking our 2% conversion formula, we are at 30. Need to double our member base, and we will almost be there :)
Lets plan a meeting with BBMP, not really BBMP's top bosses, but with their PIOs (information officer) for sure to ask them how best to track their projects.
Lets do this after the BMLTA one.
awesome post
Ravi, tried calling that BBMP engineer again
Sorry SB
More of the same….
In this Nov 11 DH article:
So what does he intend to do? Not important you see... so, there is no info.
Here is something from the same article that would tick me off for sure....
The minister said ... “On inspecting the works in different parts of the City, I realised that there is lack of co-ordination between the BBMP, the BDA and the BMTC.”
A..ha.. Where is he from?
Thanks,
Ravi
I forgot to post an update at that time...
I spoke to a site engineer working on the project around 11/Sept. Not naming names here... here is the summary of what the engineer had to say (not necessarily in exact same words, but you get the idea).
The project is essentially halted, and is about 25% complete. Land acquisition is not yet over and is expected to take at least 1 to 2 more years. Since the fly-over is over the drain, no one can see it, it doesn't obstruct traffic, and no one cares. BBMP didn't seem to care either. The contractor is trying to exit the job, since the job cannot progress, and money is lost everyday. Since the elevated road on Mysore road is in the works, there could be additional complications, and there seems to be little incentive to progress. In his words, BBMP is not qualified for such work, and is the worst of the agencies he had delt with in his entire career.
Thanks,
Ravi
One year later...
...and the project hasn't progressed much. Here are a couple of pics taken in January 2010:
~~~~
Manish.
Deadlines come and go....
ExpressBuzz Report: BBMP misses the deadline again.
So, no reprive yet. Sorry folks. Even Gali Anjaneya himself can't get help from our god fearing leaders.
2 more months... dream on
Source: Today's DH
"The team left for Gali Anjaneya Temple which gets flooded every monsoon. The officers told the Mayor that the flyover running over the stormwater drain near the temple would be completed in two months"
Two months? Who are you kidding?
Design Change!
Caught my eyes a bit late. But here we go...
Interesting.... BBMP technical advisory committee (TAC) looks at the techincal aspects of the project.... NOW!!!.
DH in its report paints a typical DH picture.
"....with the project now under the scrutiny of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on account of a design flaw. The fate of the bridge now hangs in balance with only a few meters left for the completion of the project adjacent to the temple"
Apparently, the fly-over dips too low into the drain it is built on towards the temple end of the ramp.
According to this Hindu report on 22/May, number of piers have been reduced from 21 to 11 to reduce flooding of the temple. Also, Satellite bus terminal ramp is no more in the works!
PEOPLE WHO ARE BEHIND THIS
PEOPLE WHO ARE BEHIND THIS BLUNDER SHOULD BE PUNISHED SEVERLY....AND ALL THE COST SHOULD BE RECOVERED FROM THEM,
What bunch of jokers running
What bunch of jokers running our international city... the "engineering" consultants for this should get in line behind the BBMP to hang themselves in shame.
...& we expect these people to execute flyovers, elevated highways etc.