Elevated corridor and its collateral damage

By Reya Mehrotra

11 B’lureans are on a venture to learn the way many heritage homes, businesses, and bushes the venture threatens

On Saturday, round 4:30 pm, 11 Bengalureans came together, armed with notepads, pens and pencils, maps and measuring tapes. Without additional ado, they got down to assess how the elevated hall will impact the spaces that it's proposed to pass via.

The group divided itself in teams of four and walked from Minsk Square till Double Road, paying attention to the numbers of bushes that will be cut down, the shops and establishments that would possibly should be introduced down, some heritage homes that may be misplaced and other such outstanding issues. Three teams — Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike, Citizens for Bengaluru and the Student Outpost — joined hands for the hassle.

Shaheen Shasa, a volunteer, advised BM, “It used to be the primary day of stroll. We are compiling knowledge from each and every member and will come to a conclusion. We measured the duration of the footpaths, noted down the choice of bushes, and made tough drawings to grasp the have an effect on. We additionally spotted an absolutely grown tree at the junction of Vittal Mallya Road and Raja Rammohan Roy Road, that will be cut down for the venture.”

The group additionally had architects, who helped assess the infrastructural changes that would possibly occur and to help measure the duration of the medians. A big observation used to be that several small stores and establishments had no longer even been notified through the government concerning the elevated hall and may should be introduced down as soon as the venture begins.

Prabha Deva, some other volunteer, says, “We spotted that once a ramp close to the Veterinary Hospital on the proposed EC, there will be no ramp from Queens’ Road till Coffee Day on Kasturba Road so we have no idea how one can get down from the EC on that path. Secondly, the roads on this alignment are not broad sufficient to have ramps. We counted several bushes from Minsk Square till the middle of Kasturba Road that must be cut and the destiny of some heritage statues and homes is also unclear. Many shopkeepers and distributors and showroom house owners on this stretch too are not aware of the elevated hall alignment of this stretch.”

She mentioned the government should have intimated them prior to finalising on the alignment or getting ready a document.

The group plans to evaluate the duration of the proposed elevated hall each and every week and complete the evaluate and assemble an inventory of what Bengaluru is prone to lose.