So it is action time for another round of upgrade to Bangalore Mysore state highway. As per this KRDCL tender, the work is worth 795 crores, and:
"The work includes Construction of Service roads all along the existing 4-laned Bangalore-Mysore Road Excluding Town Limits of Kengeri, Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna where bypasses are proposed to be constructed as part of the scope. Also the work includes widening of the 4-laned road to 6-lane from chainage 11.60 Km to 33.00 Km."
So while we may not get BMIC expressway anytime soon, the state highway would soon get some speed :)
I had question though. Does the state plan for increased amount of highway policingthis upgraded road will take? You spend 800 crores to upgrade the just the road width and surfaces, and not spend anything for increased policing and emergency services, wont you get more accidents and deaths on the road?
ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳು
misplaced enthu
ribbon development and policing ...
... are the problems with most NHAI and SH17 (Mysore road) type roads. Service lanes solve the "ribbon development" problem - this is what sarkaari planners think. Thats true to some extent. But for service lanes to be really effective:
1) you need more policing to prevent parking/shopper/pedestrian spillover on the main road-lanes
2) you need to have carefully designed entries and medians - not too many of them. Make small-distance traffic use service lanes to get to an entry/median-cut.
3) promote another road in the intermediate towns to be the main business area (aka downtown). What they do is - build bypass roads. And with time, these bypass roads become new business areas!
Such a good job they have done with Mysore road - just drove on it earlier today. If they put a little more money and thought to it, huge amounts spent on 4/6 lane upgrade of SH-17 will be so much more worth it
aha!!