Finally some good news for pedestrians and motorists going to Yelahanka from the Bellary road. The Railways will soon begin the construction of an overbridge in order to ease traffic bottleneck near railway gate at Allalasandra.
The work is likely to begin on July 30, though there is no official confirmation yet from the Railways in this regard. It was scheduled to begin a year ago, but was delayed because of the `680-crore elevated expressway project work was under progress.
"The Railway department has taken has taken `24 crore from BBMP to construct an overbridge from petrol bunk on Bellary road near Jakkur till the Yelahanka police station," said Yelahanka Newtown BBMP corporator M Muniraju.
The expressway work is also causing traffic problems for those going to Bangalore International Airport. After the work began, the Bellary Road is witnessing slow moving traffic movement during peak hours. The expressway has put a brake for the residents of Yelahanka and surrounding areas because they now have to cross the railway track near Allalasandra, police said.
There were two ways to go to Yelahanka from Bellary road. One is to take BIA road and go via Raitha Santhe Circle. The other is to cross the railway gate near Allalasandra, which is a traffic bottleneck and causes jams even during non-peak hours.
"The pedestrians have to risk their life because there is no footpath at the crossing and they have to take the same road used by vehicles, which is just 20 feet wide," traffic police said.
"When the motorists going to Yelahanka stop their vehicle because the railway gate is closed, the traffic build up reaches till GKVK and Yelahanka police station. This overbridge will bring relief to these problems," said Sreepada MS, a resident.
Additional commissioner of police (traffic) MA Saleem said, "The road passing through Allalasandra railway gate will be closed for next nine months. People will have to take the alternate routes suggested by us." A traffic policemen blamed the concerned authorities for not putting sign boards of alternative routes. If they change routes suddenly, residents will get confused, he added.