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Kundalahalli underpass

Bangalore

By Anaga SivaramakrishnanKundalahalli junction, a key point in theor ato Whitefield, will be off-limits for motorists for at least three months now. The BBMP plans to shut the junction as construction is going on at theWork has been going on for two-and-a-half months now, but the junction will be shut off for finishing touches to the work.The horror of it all is that there are not enough alternative routes and so all we can say to the users of this road is: Get ready for traffic congestion.A BBMP official told BM, “As of now, we have kept four lanes of the road open for traffic movement, but for the next phase, it will be a challenge to do so.” The BBMP will hold consultations with theTraffic Police to see what they suggest about full closure of the junction, which will happen within 10 days. He said that it will take two months to finish the road, and another three months for the box portion in the centre. “But we can finish the job within three months if full closure is granted.”Talking about difficulties of the commuters, he said, “There will be problems, but the public must cooperate with us for these three months. Else people will have to suffer for more than six months.”Nevertheless, he claims the three-month closure very important to complete the work.DCP KV Jagadeesh has said that the full closure of the road can spell trouble. The route is important for commuters between the city and Whitefield. “Traffic will be in a turmoil. They (BBMP) say three months, though it may take more time,” he said. To ensure that the commuters can travel about even during when the junction is closed, the planning of routes must be done beforehand. Jagadeesh said that as of now, the proposal is still being worked out. “A lot of decisions have to be made- like what we should do and what alternative measures can be taken, if the closure is agreed upon. So far, half of the work is completed, and the other side is remaining.”Clement Jayakumar, a resident who is in touch with the construction process, said that the full closure of the junction was a necessity. “There are no other options. It is better to get the work done instead of prolonging it.” Ajit Lakshamitran, another resident, said, “There is no alternative to the full closure because if the excavated portion of the underpass has to be covered on top to form the road, the prefabricated slabs have to laid there.”“Currently, no alternative roads are identified for the process of full closure. The Chinnapanahalli Main Road which is an option, is very narrow. It may not hold the quantity of commuters. Further, with the Metro construction on the KR Puram Road, occurring in parallel to the Kundalahalli underpass, there is already a lot of blockage,” Prabhu Patil, another resident near the junction, claimed. Patil said the full closure can be avoided and delayed as much as possible, at least until alternative roads are decided upon. The closure will be a difficult time, because the alternate roads must be able to take the entire brunt of the traffic, which residents believe will not be an easy task. The other option being suggested by a few residents is to use the Alpine Eco road, but it is narrow. The decision will be finalised within two weeks.