Mysuru:  On April 27, 2016, the works on city’s first-ever flyover began on the Hunsur Highway near Hinkal and even after two years and five months, the flyover has not yet been open to traffic, literally crippling the stretch. Hoteliers and businessmen on the road said that since two years they have been forced to live amidst sound and dust.

In August this year, residents of Mysuru were promised by the elected representatives and officials from Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) which is implementing the project that the flyover will be ready by Dasara 2018. The same promise was repeated in the first week of September.

A reality check conducted by Star of Mysore this morning, however, revealed that the flyover will not be open for Dasara as it is just 23 days remaining for the festivities to begin. Even if it is declared open on the Vijayadashami day, it will be only for light motor vehicles and not for heavy vehicles. Even the light vehicles have to tread a cautious path as works on erecting medians and safety barriers will be under progress.

The flyover is being built on a critical road that links Mysuru to Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 15.18 crore while the tender-approved amount was Rs. 19.80 crore. The cost of the project when it began was Rs. 14.81 crore.

The works on the flyover began on April 27, 2016 (formal commencing date June 22, 2016) and its total length including the ramp on both sides, is 510 metres. The width of the flyover is 17.20 metres. It begins from Hinkal Tent till  Grand Maurya Hotel.

Engineers on site told SOM that 80 percent of the works were completed and works are on to lay concrete blocks on the Hunsur-Ring Road Junction and Mysuru-Hinkal-Ring Road Junction. “20-metre concrete blocks will be laid from tomorrow and it will take two days. It will take another three to four weeks for the fixed and sealed blocks to undergo curing process. Once this is done, asphalting work will be taken up and light motor vehicles can travel on the flyover,” said a MUDA engineer at the work spot, who requested anonymity.

MUDA Superintending Engineer B.K. Suresh Babu said that works are being undertaken on a war-footing and only light vehicles will be allowed on top of the flyover for Dasara.

“The road has been cleared from Hebbal to Bogadi Ring Road and works are on to clear the stretch from Bogadi Ring Road till the Royal Inn Junction at Hebbal. It will take about 20 to 25 days for the concrete to set and later, the works on the medians will begin,” he said.

The main carriageway of the flyover is 7.50 metres and the flyover will have 6 metre-wide service roads on either sides. It also has a footpath of two metres. The flyover will be a 4-lane road with piers supporting it.

Shopkeepers resigned  to fate

“Ever since flyover works began, there is no peace of mind for us. Constant dust, sound and flying splinters have made our lives hell. Apart from losing business, we have to bear with all this,” said Somashekar, who owns a hardware shop on the Highway.

Works must be completed before Dasara, says MP 

But will it be with safety measures?

Mysuru:  When Star of Mysore contacted Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha on the Hinkal Flyover completion deadline, he said that officials are bound to complete works before Dasara. “Many deadlines have been given to MUDA and they all have been violated. I have clearly instructed MUDA officials that Dasara 2018 will be their last deadline,” he said.

If MUDA, due to pressure, rushes the flyover works many are worried that they may not be able to install safety measures such as medians and side barricades which if not put in place will render the flyover unsafe.