Flyover at busy Manipal Hospital Junction; Peripheral Ring Road; Group Housing Scheme

Mysore/Mysuru: Three crucial infrastructure projects set to bolster Mysuru’s development, namely, the flyover at the junction of Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway-Outer Ring Road near Kempegowda Circle (Manipal Hospital Junction), the Peripheral Ring Road and the Group Housing Scheme were taken up for discussion by Urban Development Minister B.S. Suresh (Byrathi Suresh) in city this morning.

Minister Suresh arrived in the morning and convened a closed-door meeting at the Government Guest House in Nazarbad with officials including Urban Development Secretary Dr. M.N. Ajay Nagabhushan, Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Ashaad-ur-Rahman Shariff. Later, District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra, MLA K. Harishgowda and officers from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), City Police Commissioner Ramesh Banoth, DCP (Crime and Traffic) S. Jahnavi joined the meeting.

After the meeting, the Ministers will visit the Manipal Hospital Junction to inspect the traffic snarls it regularly experiences. The Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway-275, now transformed into an Expressway, converges with the Outer Ring Road Junction near Manipal Hospital, making it a significant  traffic bottleneck.

Presentation by NHAI

During peak hours, weekends and holidays, Manipal Hospital junction witnesses traffic congestion with trucks, buses, cars and two-wheelers vying for space. Crossing this junction can take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. Even before the Expressway upgrade, traffic jams were a common occurrence and the situation has only worsened with the highway expansion, the meeting was told by the NHAI in a presentation.

The urgent need to transform the junction into a signal-free passageway to ensure the seamless flow of traffic was highlighted. Officials informed the Minister that NHAI had initially approved a proposal for developing the Hospital Junction into a Clover Leaf Interchange back in 2019. However, this project never materialised, primarily due to its high costs.

Subsequently, NHAI proposed a more cost-effective alternative involving the construction of a six-lane flyover, a rotary and an underpass. The flyover was designed to provide direct access to and from the Expressway, while the underpass would facilitate uninterrupted two-way traffic flow on Ring Road. The rotary would further enhance traffic movement between the highway and the Ring Road’s service roads, streamlining the overall flow of vehicles.

Peripheral Ring Road, Group Housing

Minister Suresh is also discussing the Detailed Project Report for the Peripheral Ring Road. MUDA has proposed the construction of a Peripheral Ring Road with an estimated cost of Rs. 2,000 crore, covering a distance of approximately 73 to 105 kilometres.

This proposal arises from the fact that the existing 43-km Outer Ring Road is already operating near its capacity, particularly in several sections.

Furthermore, the Minister will engage in discussions related to MUDA’s Group Housing Scheme, designed to address the surging demand for housing in city and cater to the housing requirements of middle-class and economically disadvantaged residents.

Suresh informed reporters that MUDA has already initiated work on the architectural design for this project. The proposal outlining the design of the housing project has been submitted to the Government for approval.

MCC elections soon

“There is no question of postponing Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) elections. It will be conducted shortly. The Chief Minister has already instructed to hold all Municipal elections at the appropriate time. Therefore, the election will take place as soon as the term expires. Lok Sabha elections are scheduled for next April or May, and the process of MCC elections will begin within fifteen days,” said Minister  Byrathi Suresh.