“We live just three kilometers from Indiranagar and Ulsoor, but we need to send our children to school at least an hour earlier because of the incomplete Railway Over Bridge (ROB) here,” complains Ms. M Vimala, a resident of Old Byappanahalli. People of the area were relieved when the BBMP decided to build the bridge as the wait at the manned railway gate is never ending at times, especially when more than one train passes through. But their joy was shortlived as constructon of the ROB came to a grinding halt midway.
While the BBMP has built pillars on either side of the railway track at Old Byappanahalli, the work has been held up for the last eight months, making the lives of people in the area miserable. The project has run into trouble with the defence authorities refusing to part with land for the project, say the locals. C. V. Raman Nagar MLA, S. Raghu, who confirms this, however, hopes the dispute will be settled soon.
But this is of little comfort to the people who have to put up with chaotic traffic conditions on the road near the railway level crossing. The inconvenience is all the greater as Byappanahalli connects Banasawadi and surrounding areas like Ulsoor and Indiranagar. “School children and office- goers are often held up at the level crossing where the gates remain shut for ages due to the increased frequency of trains and addition of new trains," complains Ms Vimala. The construction mess also sees Old Byappanahalli become a cesspool and a breeding ground for mosquitoes in heavy rain , say the fed up people.
While the ROB, planned at an estimated cost of Rs 23.53 crore on a cost sharing basis between the railways and the BBMP, is scheduled to be completed in October 2012, its anybody's guess now when it will actually be ready for use.