Decks cleared for road-widening

Decks have been cleared to ease traffic bottleneck on the busy Bellary Road leading to the Kempegowda International Airport and Jayamahal Road after the Supreme Court allowed widening of the two roads on Friday.

The road-widening work had come to a standstill for nearly four years after the last scion of Mysore Wadiyar dynasty late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar approached the Supreme Court, seeking compensation under the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), which the State had refused to provide.

On Friday, the Supreme Court directed the State government to provide TDR to six persons, including Pramoda Devi, wife of the late scion. The others who will receive TDR are the late scions sisters Minakshi Devi, Kamakshi Devi, Vishalakshi Devi and Indrakashi Devi, and Ramachandra Raje Urs.

We are happy with the court order. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), without the Supreme Courts permission, had taken up the widening work and had not acceded to our demand. Two heritage structures Coffee Room and Post Office were demolished, C.K. Venkatesh, Ms. Pramoda Devis counsel, told The Hindu. The next course of action would be decided after meeting the family members, he said.

A top BBMP official said preliminary discussions to revive the road-widening project had been held. The Detailed Project Report (DPR), prepared in 200910, has to be revised. Tenders for the roadworks will be floated soon after the estimates are revised, the official said, and added that the TDR would be issued before taking up the work.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters on Saturday that the widening of the two roads around the Palace Grounds would be completed soon.

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Decks cleared for road-widening