It might be old news for you all. Still, I have to tell about it.
The Airport Road (to Devanahalli, originating from High Grounds) is again getting widened. Right from the Hebbal flyover, till the airport entrance. The last plan I heard was an eight-lane road below with three lane service roads on either side. On top of it we have a six lane express highway from Hebbal flyover to Airport entrance. There are plans of metro coming on one side of the road. Which side of the road has to be decided yet.
Well, this is the plan. All is good for the globalization enthusiasts. Wide roads attract the investors and gives an impression of a better infrastructure. Smooth traffic flow blah blah blah.
FYI, road widening for the airport had been done just five years ago. Now, again based on the complaints of minor VIPs, the central government plans to widen the road for their pleasure.
You may refer to this post of mine on VIP movements on the Airport road.
Lets analyse the situation. Here are some points that come to my mind.
1. Whats the traffic to the airport everyday on an average?
2. How many vehicles commute on that road?
3. Is widening required at this stage? Is the traffic that worse?
4. How many people/enterprises lose their land for widening?
5. Whats the compensation given to them? Whats the market value?
6. What is the ratio between them?
If you answer these questions, you'll easily find the need for this road widening is not that important. In case if they insist in doing so, they should provide the real compensation (unlike what they did in 2005) or provide land for the current market price somewhere else (Which I hardly see getting done).
They construct a dedicated 6 lane express highway for free movement of these VIPs in and outa the city. Now, whats the ratio of people taking the express highway paying the costly toll? You can take examples from the NICE road and the Hosur road flyover projects. Common man wishes the other way.
Roads in other parts of Karnataka are getting worse. Some examples include The road to Nagarahole, the roads that lead us to the western ghats (take any road, its getting worse n worse day by day) Why can't they improve such roads than investing 700 crores on an express highway to the airport? Again whats the ratio of people travelling to Airport to people travelling in the afore mentioned roads to rural parts of Karnataka? You just can't compare.
More balding of Bengalooru takes place (of the leftover greenery), more people will get homeless/jobless.
Its not that, I blog it out and they look into it. I just have pointed out my viewpoint which does no good to the situation. It simply doesnt change the scenario. The Govt takes it in the left ear n leaves it out on the right.
Just thought of bloggin out this helpless scene of Airport road. Cough up your opinion.
Monday, February 08, 2010
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3 comments:
The only plausible point I see is about the compensation, I agree with that.
VIPs (Politicians) having the clout to get such roads? I guess they'd rather have a high ranking police officer at every traffic (switched off) light ready to salute when the VIP convoy passes by on their way back home or to the airport.
A (non politician) VIP is just using the clout he/she could gather due to the hard work (shrewd/smart also possible), but they do deserve a say in the making of the highway for all the income they generate for the state/city.
Would you have posted the same blog if compensation was on par?
Most often, cities in India fail because infrastructure that is newly built was actually meant for the needs five years earlier. If the traffic density is not high, then its a good sign, for once Bangalore has some infra thats good for the next few years!!!!! In fact, it is this type of short sightedness which led to earlier widening of the highway limited to 4 lanes.
I am sure the govt would have saved a lot more money if they had bought all this land at once, even while paying the owners 100% more price (when the lands were taken over the first time).
I understand that you have a reason to have a personal opinion, but your frustrations towards the politics/corruption should not be vented out at something (infra) that "may" be fruitful.
The plans are designed keeping the future in mind. The problem arises when these constructions dont get completed in the fixed duration. I have talked to my Town Planning lecturer about this issue. He showed me a book, with the title B'lore 2015. The plans are already laid out till that time, considering all the issues that may creep up. Consider the following, A road which is planned till 2018 starts construction in 2010 and needs to end by 2012. But the construction is delayed till 2015. So the lifetime of the road is 3 years. Its not the planners who are to blame. Its the officials with power, people who bring stay orders etc.
@Manoj,
People (most often) bring in a stay order because they think its not a fair solution. So its the officials who are responsible of planning, and execution.
Sandesh is giving a land owner's (who has to give away the land for the sake of the development) point of view. And its quite obvious for anyone who has live in India, the price that the govt sanctions for the land aquisitions, only a fraction of it reaches the original owner of the land!
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