Bengaluru: From Mylanahalli, north of Bengaluru, to KR Puram in the east and Magadi Road in the west to HSR Layout in southeast Bengaluru, chief minister Siddaramaiah went on a whistle-stop tour on Sunday, inaugurating flyovers and roads and laying foundation stones for

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While the news of long-pending projects finally being complete brought some relief to citizens, the ground reality at most spots ensured that it didn’t last long.

The biggest of the launches, the much-awaited alternative road to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), snaking through Hennur Road, Bagalur, Mylanahalli and Begur, was still not fully ready. M Lakshminarayan, additional chief secretary, public works department (PWD), said people would be able to use the road in a week.

“The stretch from Mylanahalli to the airport is approximately 4km long. A 2-km stretch was opened on Sunday and is fully motorable. But we need to undertake road widening and asphalting on the 2-km road — 50ft on either side. Some cable work is pending too, and once it is done, the road will be ready,” he said.

An airport spokesperson confirmed no work was pending from their end but also said some road infrastructure needed to be put in place. “It has been inaugurated but is not ready. Streetlights and street signs have to be put up. It will take a few days before the road can be used,” the spokesperson said.

The 920-metre-long Hennur flyover, which leads to Geddalahalli and aims to decongest the Outer Ring Road-Hennur Main Road junction and ease commuters’ woes, was officially declared open but wore an incomplete look.

“I was looking forward to a smoother ride on the flyover on Sunday afternoon. But the tarring is not complete and the flyover would need another layer. It seems they have hurriedly finished the work to stick to a date they decided overnight. I could also see last-minute work like painting of medians and fixing of lights. It doesn’t compare to a flyover in any other part of the city,” said Mukund Subramaniam, resident of Hennur Main Road.

Subramaniam went on to add that the service road on the Lingarajapuram side was still not accessible. “It has been cordoned off and still houses mounds of sand and construction material. I think it will take a few more days to be complete,” he added.

The CM also laid the foundation stone for and inaugurated several projects at ITI playground in KR Puram, including an underpass at Horamavu railway crossing, and flyovers at Ramamurthy Nagar junction and Kasturinagar junction. He laid the foundation stone for infrastructure facilities and development of main and connecting roads at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout near Magadi Road and Swabhimana Tree Park at HSR Layout, developed by BBMP and BDA jointly.

BOX: Need to save B’luru from BJP: CM

Siddaramaiah said he has taken a vow to build a New Karnataka (Nava Karnataka). People will reject BJP and JD(S) again and bring Congress back to power, he added. “People in BJP are fake. We need to save Bengaluru from BJP,” he said at a rally in KR Puram.

“During previous BJP governments, midnight tenders and files being burnt was the trend. They mortgaged this city’s assets and we are the ones paying off the debt,” he claimed.

He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sharing the stage with tainted political figures like BS Yeddyurappa and Janardhana Reddy, on his visit to the state. “This is one of the most disgraceful things a PM can do. He should respect his seat. I am happy that our government has been able to work without corruption and keep its promises,” he said.

He also said how Ambedkar Jayanti and Kempegowda Jayanti became days for celebration only because of the government’s efforts.