NH4

2014 Lok Sabha elections

Rahul Gandhi

National Highways Authority of India

Oscar Fernandes

Tumkur-Hiriyur stretch onwas ‘thrown open’ to traffic by the GOP’s spearhead for. It has not only been in use; motorists have been paying toll tooNewly-constructed infrastructure being barred to the public since politicians cannot slot in time to officially inaugurate it is old hat. But the shoe was firmly on the other foot when‘inaugurated’ part of a national highway following a visit to the city on the weekend. It gave the All India Congress Committee vice-president’s ‘road show’ in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections a whole new meaning, albeit an amusing one.The Congress party’s probable prime ministerial candidate, who had visited the city on Saturday, flew to Tumkur on Sunday to ‘inaugurate’ the six-lane highway between Tumkur and Hiriyur. As Gandhi cut a ribbon and drew the curtain on the foundation stone amidst much fanfare,(NHAI) officials and others looked askance. They had reason to be as the six-lane highway has been in use for over six months.“It may suit the Congress party to go on an inauguration spree since elections are around the corner,” an NHAI official said. “Perhaps, they can inaugurate old projects which have been in use for some time almost every day.”There was no such fanfare when the road was converted into a four-lane highway years ago. Motorists were allowed to use the highway immediately after work on it was completed. In any case, it could not have remained closed for any length of time since the Tumkur-Hiriyur stretch is part of NH-4 (the golden quadrilateral) connecting Bangalore and Mumbai. Motorists using the road have also been paying toll, which can only be collected once the road is fully complete.The only thing ‘new’ on this stretch is the addition of a lane on either side, making it a six-lane highway, a few flyovers and service roads to improve connectivity to a few villages along the way. The project cost Rs 839 crore. A work agreement for the project on the 114-km stretch had been signed in October 2010 and was completed some months ago. In fact, much to the chagrin of motorists, toll was revised upwards on this stretch in December 1, 2013. There are two toll plazas on the stretch.Congress leaders however, found nothing wrong in it. “The project had minor work pending,” said TB Jayachandra, state law minister and Tumkur district in-charge, said. “It had to be completed before it could be inaugurated. We had to get official dates of our leaders to come and inaugurate the project. We have been looking for suitable dates since December 25. As Rahul Gandhi's tour coincided with the Tumkur-Hiriyur section, we thought it was apt to inaugurate the project.”Gandhi, however, wasn’t the only one in the Congress party afflicted by the ‘inauguration-of-old-projects’ rash. On Saturday,, Union minister for road transport and highways, ‘inaugurated’ the four-lane national highway between Bangalore and Mulbagal (100 km). This stretch too was completed a couple of years ago and toll collection had begun a few months back.“Although the road was complete, we had some issues with the concessionaire and so we had not allowed them to collect toll,” an NHAI official said. “However, the issue was sorted out a couple of months ago and they began collecting toll at two points —near Hoskote and near Mulbagal. We were earlier told that the road needs no formal inauguration as commuters are using this road for about two years. However, we got instructions from higher-ups that the road is to be inaugurated now and we had no option but to arrange for the function that was graced by Oscar Fernandes, minister KH Muniyappa and others.”Fernandes also laid a foundation stone for the Mulbgal-AP border stretch, although work on this stretch began eight months ago. It is about 40 per cent complete.“Trees have been chopped and the road has been converted to a four-lane highway between chainage (refers to a section of the road comprising several kilometres which is entrusted to a contractor to build, operate and transfer) 225 to 230 while the double road is functional between chainage 233 to 235. Flyover work is almost complete at Mallanayakanahalli junction. When so much of work has been completed, what is the need to lay a foundation stone?”New twist to road showWhen the Bangalore-Nelamangala 5km elevated expressway (also NH 4), and the access controlled corridor from Goraguntepalya to Nelamangala, was completed in November 2010, officials had waited for about a month for a formal inauguration. During that time the expressway, although complete, was closed to motorists although it would have cut down travel time to less than half. Eventually the road was opened in December 2010 without an inauguration.“We were expecting a Union minister to inaugurate it as it was a high-profile project,” an NHAI official said. “But then, we were told that there was no need to wait for an inauguration as it would inconvenience road users and also be a waste of public money. It was thrown open to public without any fanfare.”