By S.T. Ravikumar

Mysore/Mysuru: The Road Under Bridge (RUB) at the Level-Crossing of Mysuru-Nanjangud section Railway track running behind Crawford Hall and close to Kukkarahalli Lake, will soon be a reality with the works on the much-awaited project  to commence soon.

The RUB connects Kautilya Circle (Crawford Hall Circle) with Dr. Padma Circle close to the Government Press on Bogadi Road. The retaining wall on both sides of the RUB runs from Zero feet to 15 feet, with the RUB road length being 425 metres.

The road will be a Double Road of 5.5 metres width each, with a 1 metre median and 1.2 metre wide footpaths on both sides of the road. The  RUB will have Concrete Box Type storm water drains on both the sides. 

Both ends of the RUB will have aesthetically designed arches in keeping with the heritage characteristics attached to the adjacent Crawford Hall building.

Due to the RUB, the entrance point of Kukkarahalli Lake on Kalamandira road side, will be shifted to a certain distance towards Kalamandira side and so also the vehicle parking facility at the entry gate. The project is being taken up by MCC with financial support from the Railways. 

City-based CADD Station Technologies (Pvt) Ltd., has prepared the DPR for the project.This firm, apart from being the executing agency, is also the Management Consultants for the project. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs.40 crore, with the Railways contributing Rs.10 crore and the rest Rs.30 crore to be borne by the State Government and the MCC.

Once the RUB is completed, it will be a boon for the motorists, who now have to wait a long time at the Level-Crossing Gate.

The Road Under Bridge issue was raised by MLC Sandesh Nagaraj  during Question Hour in the Legislative Council recently. Nagaraj wanted the Government to execute the project immediately as motorists were forced to wait as most trains running between Mysuru-Nanjangud-Chamarajanagar used to stop on the stretch of the track running behind Crawford Hall, due to delayed clearance at the City Railway Station.

At present, the city has ten RUBs — 1. Outer Ring Road entry, 2. Near Railway Goods Shed at Karakushalanagar, 3. B.M. Shri Nagar, 4. Medar Block (near Jawa), 5. Yadavagiri Dobhi Ghat, all on Mysuru-Bengaluru section; 6. On KRS Road near Mandovi Motors, 7. Near Fire Brigade at Saraswathipuram, 8. K.G. Koppal, 9. Ashokapuram (behind NIE) and 10. ORR near Srirampura, all on Mysuru-Nanjangud-Chamarajanagar section.

 However, the city needs five more such RUBs — 1. Behind Crawford Hall, the works on which is set to commence shortly, 2. Near the City Law Courts and 3. Jayanagar Level Crossing, all on Mysuru-Nanjangud section and 4. Near Falcon Tyres on KRS Road and 5. Near Preethi Granites  in Hebbal Industrial area, both of them coming under Mysuru-Arasikere section.

The RUBs will help in ending the long wait of motorists at Railway Level Crossings and also enable smooth flow of vehicular movement.