When will Millers Road traffic woes end?

Hameed Ashraf | NT

If there is one road in the heart of the city where citizens, traders and commuters alike fear to tread, it’s Millers Road where civic bodies have delayed repairs and pipe laying work leaving the stretch in a pathetic state.

The road, say residents of Vasanth Nagar, was dug up by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in December with the promise that work would be completed in 15 days. The High Grounds police have diverted traffic to Millers Tank Bund Road until the work is completed.

The stretch from Hotel Chandrika to Sankey Road was blocked for civic work earlier. “Later the authorities concerned blocked the stretch from Cunningham Road that leads to Cantonment Railway Station too,” said a commuter adding, “Even Jain Hospital Road is in a terrible state.”

To add to the woes of the public, The Bengaluru Smart City Limited (BSCL) project to redo footpaths is also underway in the area alongside BWSSB’s utility duct laying works. “This is a major business area and the delay in civic work is hitting us hard as no customer wants to come this way. If at all they want to visit us, they will have to park their vehicles on the next road,” said a staffer at a restaurant.

Residents complained of unbearable dust and noise that has been persisting for more than a month. The only silver lining is that Smart City project officials are now immediately replying to their concerns as compared to the lack of response earlier.

Meanwhile, BSCL Executive Engineer Chandrashekar said that work on the footpath is almost over. “The delay in work was due to the delay in securing police permission,” reasoned a Smart City official. “Work is being done at a fast pace and will be completed in a few days,” he added.

The TenderSURE development of 32 roads measuring around 59 km is being executed by BSCL at a cost of Rs 435 crore. Officials contend that work on three major roads- Avenue Road, Miller’s Road and HKP Road- is in various stages of completion.