Dear Citizens,

With reference to the above subject and regarding my feedback as a resident of Bangalore
I am posting this article.

With anguish, I wish to state that the present Government of Karnataka and the BBMP
are holding people/citizens to RANSOM. The projects proposed by BBMP do not have
clarity and in-depth study.

This article is a stark reminder of why we need governmental reform and transparency.
(1) We need an elected local government and substantially higher citizen participation
(and opportunities to participate) (2) We need suitable laws passed and rules
implemented that give urban area governance full autonomy. I hope in the upcoming
BBMP elections, residents all over the city engage and vote for parties and candidates
that promote "real" citizen participation. The Elected representative’s (Ministers,
Corporators) and concerned city Govt officials involved should have to come forward
DISCUSS & EXPLAIN the need and rationale behind any such intrusive actions.

This is regarding the Road widening work proposed for 100 FEET RING ROAD
BETWEEN SILK BOARD JUNCTION TO MYSORE ROAD. As you are aware this
work being carried out in the name of JNNURM lacks sense. The present road is more
than sufficient to handle the traffic for another 10-15 years ahead.

Why is the road being widened? It is due to traffic jams and congestions.
There are innumerable ways to control and streamline it. Widening roads may be one of
the options. But it is not final.
1). Purchase of vehicles must be permitted on the basis of necessity and capacity to buy
and must have parking slot. Many do not have parking space, park it on the roads free of
cost and giving headache to the police for the theft and damage.
2). All other important roads like NICE road and Peripheral road must be built and should
be made operational immediately.
3). Streamline and educate the citizens, regarding traffic and movement.
4). Increase the Road Tax, for the vehicles using the high density roads.
5). Widen the existing footpaths.
6). Multi level elevated transport system could be incorporated.
7). Mono rail, to supplement the existing Metro on these roads, may be planned.
8). Increase the frequency of the public transportation.

INTERESTING FACT TO KNOW IS THAT IN THE CDP RELEASED ON 1994 &

2004, BDA HAS ALREADY DECLARED THIS AS 150 FEET RING ROAD WHILE
REALISTICALLY THIS WAS 100 FEET RING ROAD. IF THIS IS ALREADY 150
FEET ROAD THEN WHY IS BBMP MAKING A PROPOSAL FOR ROAD
WIDENING?

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FURTHER TO THIS, VERY RECENTLY IN 2008 BDA HAS AUCTIONED SITES
ON THIS RING ROAD. IF BDA WAS AWARE OF THIS ROAD WIDENING
PROPOSAL WHICH WAS FORMED AS EARLY AS IN 2004 THEN WHY DID
THEY AUCTION SITES ON THIS ROAD? AND HOW DID BBMP SANCTION
PLAN APPROVALS FOR CONSTRUCTION TILL AS LATE AS IN 2008?

Doesn’t all of these indicate how well the BDA, BBMP and Govt are functioning without
even aware of what they are doing? In all of this chaos the ultimate victim’s are the
citizens who are residing on this stretch who have put all their lifetime earnings to be
modest property owners in this part of Bangalore. Has (BDA/BBMP/Govt) anyone taken
their consent and discussed with them before impending to this proposal? What will
happen to their families who are dependent solely on this property? Will the Govt
compensate them rightly?

Road widening on the ring road is a very difficult task. It involves huge amounts around
Rs 2,000 Crore plus to be paid in compensation to the owners. Where is it? A recent
article states that the BBMP has run dry even with JNNRUM funding. TDR is voluntary
and nobody accepts it, The Government must invoke Land Acquisition Procedure. When
acquisition notification is issued, it means, compensation has to be paid.

A TDR is useless piece of paper for a middle class, resident citizen, allow the PPR to
operate, route heavy traffic there and then see the need for widening roads.

FURTHER, FAIR COMPENSATION (THE MARKET LAND RATE AND

REPLACEMENT CONSTRUCTION COST) SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO OWNERS
OF AFFECTED PROPERTIES IF IN CASE IMPLEMENTED.

(Kindly follow this link)

http://www.slideshare.net/das_gv/bangalore-road-widening-road-to-nowhere

Secondly, Oil is just vanishing in another 10 years; it shall be so expensive that one has to
depend upon renewable source of energy. In such a situation, what these widened roads
are for? Who has advised the Govt regarding widening, has not taken human
consideration. These Governments have not come from heaven. It is our own creation to
rule ourselves.

However there needs to be more transparency and public debate on any planned
infrastructure. BBMP should organize regular public reviews of all projects and use the
citizen input to avoid badly designed flyovers (the Magadi Rd/Toll gate flyover and even
the Hebbal flyover) and hasty designs (like the Boxes on Bellary road, Cauvery Junction
Tagore Circle, Tannery Road, kadirenahalli - puttenahalli underpass etc).

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Approx 5,000 vehicles pass on this road and 10,000 properties are destroyed to make way
for these lifeless vehicles. 150 feet road may not take the load of more vehicles in 2020
and need another 100 feet more making it 250 feet road. Why not plan for 2050?
There is no end for demolition. Population explosion, vehicular pollution and explosion is
taking its toll in the form of environmental disaster. Nobody is against the widening. Do
not demolish a part of it, take entire 100 feet now and make a road. BBMP has come out
with 91 street widening. As per 2015 City Master Plan it has to widen another 800 roads.
Then, Bangalore will be a city of ROADS.

WIDENING OF ROADS WILL NOT SOLVE ANY PROBLEM. CONTROL,

CURTAIL AND CONTAIN THE UNNECESSARY VEHICLES. 2020, Oil will not be
available and what good will derive of these roads. EDUCATION, CULTURE,
TRAFFIC AND SIMPLE COMMON SENSE is what is needed. Where there is a will,
there is a way. LET THE GOVT PAY MARKET PRICE, TAKE THE ENTIRE
BUILDING, EVERYBODY IS HAPPY TO GIVE IT.

Another sad thing to note is that the Govt and the BBMP are in a hasty process to
implement AKRAMA-SAKRAMA scheme which they are popularizing to give benefits
to the citizens. But do the Govt and the BBMP want to demolish the legal authorized
structures in order to make way for the violated illegal/unauthorized buildings. Never
heard anywhere wherein the Govt demolishes legal buildings to make illegal buildings-
legal. Most of the layouts formed beyond Ring Road are unauthorized and illegal. The
Govt and BBMP are using these for their profit during elections.

If the BBMP was planning to widen the road how is it that they sanctioned plans for
people to go ahead and construct?

There are several reasons why this stretch of Ring Road need not be widened
immediately:

a. Underpass at 15th Cross and later maybe a similar solution at Jedi Mara may speed up
traffic a lot. See the example at Sankey Road where a SINGLE LANE underpass has
helped smooth traffic so well.

Let the widening take place ONLY in case all these measures fail, after studying traffic
for three years after construction.

b. When a PRR is being built, why widen the existing Ring Road? Lorry traffic will
definitely divert onto the PRR.

Again study the situation for 3 years after PRR and then take a decision.

c. Once more, a huge swath of old trees will be cut down for this widening project.
BBMP is repeating the same mistakes that they made on Seshadri Road.

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d. Widened roads only mean more facilities for car and automobile passengers. Walkers
will only get smaller footpaths with a much hotter road as the sun beats down on treeless
roads. One can see this happening on Seshadri Road now.

BBMP will be much better off concentrating on improving footpaths and existing roads
by making them pot hole free and fully asphalted, completing the existing projects taken
in hand before commencing any new projects thus by further avoiding in converting
Bangalore like GHOST TOWN or a WAR RAVAGED city with inhospitable conditions
for the citizens. Let them improve public transport in cooperation with BMTC, Metro rail
and other bodies.

I trust that these comments will be taken in true spirit that they are made – i.e., to see that
the Govt, BBMP and its various departments work efficiently and professionally so that
the rights of the citizens of this city are not trampled on but are respected and that
“Bengaluru” does achieve its ambition to be one of the best cities in India/the world to
live in.

Thanking You,

G. Ravikiran

100 Ft Ring Road, Banashankari-3rd stage

Bangalore – 560 085

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