Mysuru: Although the construction work of Bengaluru – Mysuru Expressway has not been completed in various parts of Mandya, and Mysuru Districts, the authorzities have fixed the date for its inauguration.
After the soil is filled, one should wait until it hardens. There is a risk of collapse if hurried. The Officials are putting pressure for hureied construction of the bridge to allow vehicles to move by the second week of May.
“It is difficult to finish in 2 weeks,” said an engineer who was in-charge of the construction near Induvalu.
In addition to the construction work that has already been scheduled, construction work that has been sanctioned by the pressure of people is also pending. People had been staging a continuous sit-in protest demanding the construction of a service bridge parallel to the Shimha flyover near Maddur. Mandya MP Sumalatha had also supported it.
Later, the Highway Authority agreed to construct a service bridge. But it has not started yet. As a result of the ‘rasta roko’ strike by the farmers on February 20, the Authorities have agreed to construct an underbridge near Hanakere in the Taluk. It has not even started. The Expressway has no connection with Ramanagara, Channapatna, Mandya and Srirangapattana. Land acquisition for entry and exit path has not been done till now. The service road is a mess and gets submerged when it rains.
The number of accidents is also increasing due to lack of signboards on the Highway. There is no barrier to the speeding vehicles. Despite all these confusions, people are expressing their displeasure that they are in a hurry to inaugurate the work. The drainages of service road have been connected to canals. Due to this, there is a danger of polluting the local lake and embankments.
Villagers of Induvalu Village demanded that the sewage flowing through the Highway should be filtered and drained, and for that the NHAI should start a purification plant.
Mysuru Kodagu MP Pratap Simha told reporters that, “In many places, the work of the 2nd phase is pending. The Authorities have been instructed to complete the work within the stipulated date.”
The first phase of work has been completed from Christ College, Bengaluru to Nidaghatta of Mandya District and is 61 kilometre-long. From there to Manipal Hospital in Mysuru area, the construction work of 2nd phase is going on. Halebudanur, New Budanur, and Induvalu are included. The construction of bridge near Siddalingapura in Mysuru District has started, recently.
The work of many pedestrian over-bridges and under-bridges has not yet started.
Technicians said that it will take at least 2 months to complete the work of huge bridges. However, the announcement of the date that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the exprezssway on March 11 has put the contractors in a quandary. The Government plans to inaugurate the Expressway before announcement of code of conduct by Election Commissioner. Half the construction of the flyover has been completed in an area of 2 kms between Halebudanur and Hosbudanur. Construction of bridge wall (earth wall) and soil filling work has been done. The wall of one part of the 1 km long Induvalu Bridge is being constructed, while the other part remains empty. Construction of a 700 metre-long Bridge from Naganahalli to Siddalingapura in Mysuru District is also pending and soil filling is in progress.
