Mysuru: Mysuru city will get its first flyover (grade separator) in 10 months and works are on in full swing. (A flyover, also called overpass, is a bridge, road or a similar structure that crosses over another road or Railway. An overpass and underpass (tunnel) together form a grade separation – see photo).
The grade separator is being constructed on Hunsur-Mysuru Highway near Hinkal by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and is scheduled to be opened by February 2018.
Once completed, the grade separator on this stretch that connects Mysuru, Kodagu, Kerala, Hassan and Mangaluru will ensure the smooth passage of thousands of vehicles every day without any bottlenecks. The new facility will also boost tourism. The grade separator is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 19.83 crore.
In 2014, four grade separators were approved for the city under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM). It was then felt that the grade separators were necessary to ease traffic congestion due to the upgradation of the Outer Ring Road from two-lane to six-lane. The projects were subsequently approved by the Central Steering and Monitoring Committee.
The grade separators were planned at Outer Ring Road (ORR) junction on Bengaluru-Mysuru Road near Columbia Asia Hospital; at Mysuru-KRS Road ORR junction near Hotel Royal Inn; at Mysuru-Hunsur Road ORR junction in Hinkal and at Mysuru-Nanjangud Road JSS College Junction near Yelethota.
However, out of the four grade separators, only the Hunsur Road grade separator will be a reality now. The flyover that was proposed at KRS Road Junction faced a technical snag as the road descends too close to the Mysuru-Hassan Railway track and hence has to be realigned or dropped.
The grade separator that was planned on Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway near Columbia Asia Hospital was also dropped as the State Government has planned to widen the existing 6-lane road. Likewise, the grade separator on Mysuru-Nanjangud Road was dropped as there is a dispute over the land that belonged to the erstwhile Maharajas.
The Hunsur Road grade separator was approved by the State Government in 2016 and the works were initiated in July. As per the plans, 60 percent of the funding for the construction is being done by the Centre, 30 percent is being funded by the State Government and 10 percent of the cost is being borne by MUDA.
The 5.5 metre grade separator begins from Hinkal Tent till Grand Maurya Hotel and the work contract has been handed over to PJB Engineering Private Limited, based in Bengaluru. 40 percent of the works have already been completed.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, MUDA Assistant Executive Engineer (JnNURM) Mahesh said that the works were delayed due to the shifting of drinking water and underground pipeline works of Mysuru City Corporation and Hinkal Gram Panchayat. “The laying of service roads on either side has been completed and pillars have been laid at the middle. The remaining 60 percent of the works will be completed by Feb. 2018,” he said.
Once the four-lane grade separator is constructed, commuters need not wait for the Hinkal Junction traffic signal and can proceed towards Columbia Asia Hospital on one side and towards Bogadi on the other side. Vehicles proceeding from Mysuru towards Hunsur and those vehicles coming from Hunsur to Mysuru can go above the grade separator without any interruption.
On the grade separator, there will be two separate lanes for vehicles coming towards Mysuru from Hunsur and for the vehicles proceeding towards Hunsur from Mysuru. The lanes will be separated by road dividers and there will be service roads on either side below the grade separator, Mahesh added.
This post was published on May 9, 2017 6:55 pm