Once fluttering, now in sorry state of affairs

BANGALORE: A mere mention of the Jayamahal Road brings a crease to the brow and a look of worry on one’s face. Whether it’s the environmentalists getting worried about the fading green cover in Bangalore or the traffic woes that brought about the decision to widen the road in the first place, the worst affected among all due to the chaos is probably the aam aadmi who has to make this way through the road everyday amidst the potholes and construction material.Background checkThe decision to widen the Jayamahal Road led to several protests. Human chains were formed, people held signboards and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had to backtrack. The decision to avoid the felling of as many trees as possible was made. A consensus was reached.A major road? Not so muchDespite being a major road in the BBMP list, Jayamahal Road is filled with potholes. These huge craters showcase their worst effect during the night or when it rains. A minimum of 30 minutes is required to traverse through this stretch of road from Cantonment Railway Station to Mekhri Circle on a rainy day. The potholes make travelling a stressful issue for the commuters, mainly motorists.The absence of a proper footpath leaves pedestrians in a lurch. They are left with nowhere to go. Stone slabs are left unattended too. Mini pools of mud water are a common sight. The depth of the potholes cannot be gauged making it more perilous for the commuters. Buses have started avoiding the complete side of the road due to the same.Widening work beginsA drive through the road clears the pictures. It is clearly visible that the periphery of the Palace Grounds has been reduced. A concrete wall indicating the new boundaries has been created. Construction material has been laid out. In front of the Munireddypalya Bus Stop, small plants and trees have been conserved by clearing all regions except the ones that surround the trees. The trees have been demarcated with mounds of mud. Crushed stones and blocks of concrete indicates that the pace of work is not going to be slow.From the view of an environmentalistRajashekhar, from the ‘Save Bangalore Committee’, informed City Express of the flaw in the way BBMP works. “The first issue that people have to realise is the fact that Bangalore is not a planned city. BBMP could look for more viable options such as increase of public transport. Reduce the fares of public transport. The widening of Jayamahal Road would also just cause an increase in the number of automobiles on the road. It is lop sided development. The approach should be people friendly.”Time and money mattersThe time frame for the completion of the widening is slated to be four to five months. The budget of the project before the protests was seven crore.Signal-free corridor?If the words of the local corporator, Gunashekhar, are to be taken, making the road a signal free corridor is the only way of ensuring less traffic jams and easy flow of traffic. “Widening the road will not be a permanent solution to the issue. By removing signals throughout the stretch of the road, traffic can be easily handled," said Gunashekhar.Public viewA pedestrian on the road, Raksha, said, “The condition of the road puts us in severe distress. A walker has no place. Crossing the road is a major hassle. Mainly if I’m commuting in a bus, the time taken to traverse through the road is really frustrating.” A motorist, Gagan, asserted, “Yes, the environmentalists want to save trees. Yes, the BBMP wants to widen the road. I do not care about any of it. I just want to reach home safe.”Authorities speakThe chief engineer for the BBMP (major roads), Somashekhar, said, “We have begun work on the widening. We are trying to conserve as many trees as possible. Another cause of traffic jams maybe due to the events that are held routinely in Palace Grounds. The widening will solve moist issues.” The local corporator of the area, MK Gunashekar, said, “The widening was delayed due to a case pending in the SC about the stretch of area that has to be widened from Fun World to Cantonment. Once that issue is settled, it will be a smooth flow.”