Begin buffer road construction by December-end, orders GBA Chief Commissioner

M. Maheshwar Rao, Chief Commissioner, Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), has directed officials to begin work on 47 km of buffer roads under the Sanchara Yukta Project by the end of this month. 

At a coordination meeting held on December 11 to review issues in the implementation of works taken up by various departments, he said a plan has been drawn up to develop around 300 km of buffer roads to strengthen neighbourhood streets, protect stormwater drains, improve mobility, and make effective use of buffer zones. He instructed officials to issue work orders and start work without delay.

He further directed each city corporation to submit road details and property or survey data, following which designs will be finalised. Wherever private land is required to connect buffer roads to major corridors, acquisition must be carried out through Transferable Development Rights (TDR) or premium floor area ratio (FAR), he directed officials.

B.S. Prahallad, technical director, B-SMILE, said that work on a 2.6 km buffer road from Ejipura Inner Ring Road to Sarjapur Outer Ring Road has already begun, including an Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) retaining wall near defence land, at a cost of ₹44 crore.

Mr. Rao also instructed officials to clear garbage and sewage discharge along the Hebbal–Yelahanka highway stretch, complete lane markings on newly asphalted roads, and address rain-related issues by ensuring proper functioning of water-level sensors installed by Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre in stormwater drains and installing additional cameras wherever necessary.