Work on Okalipuram 8-lane corridor takes off with meagre funds.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and South Western Railways (SWR) have started work on the Okalipuram eight-lane corridor project without obtaining complete funding.

The project was initially proposed to be carried out under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), but since JnNURM has ceased to exist, funds are being granted under the chief minister's Nagarottana sche­me, a BBMP official told Deccan Herald on the condition of anonymity.

'Funds are not cleared at one go under the chief minister's Nagarottana scheme. They are granted only in instalments. We will have to keep applying for funds as and when needed and they will be sanctioned gradually,' the official said. The plan is to construct a flyover connecting Mantri Mall to City railway station and Sangolli Rayanna statue to Okalipuram Main Road to ease traffic congestion around the area. The project is estimated to cost around Rs. 200 crore.

The stipulated time frame for the completion of the project is 18 months, but now, there is a possibility of the project getting delayed midway because of red-tapism or lack of funds, the BBMP official added.

SWR has evicted slum dwellers who were residing near the railway track for the project. The land has been handed over to the BBMP. The BBMP gave a part of Binny Mills land, abutting City railway station, to the Railways. The BBMP has also given Rs. 20 crore to SWR so far and is yet to pay Rs. 60 crore.

The Palike has also started the foundation laying work inside the railway station premises near Okalipuram Road and near the railway line. Interestingly, all these works have started even before the final design was approved and funds were obtained. The BBMP has also taken up cutting trees on Vatal Nagaraj Road. SWR officials state that they will start construction of the 12 bridges when they receive complete funding for the project from BBMP.

www.deccanherald.com