The Hindu : 5-km. stretch of road under GQ Project open

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

5-km. stretch of road under GQ Project open

By Govind D. Belgaumkar

BANGALORE May 31. A five-km. stretch under the "Nelamangala-Tumkur package" of the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) Project is open for traffic, and a stretch of 11 km. from Dodderi is expected to be ready in less than a fortnight.

The stretch from T. Begur near Nelamangala to Dodderi, which appears to be better in quality compared with the road that was in use earlier, was opened recently. The old road, which is being improved, is closed. The stretch forms part of the Rs. 185-crore Nelamangala-Tumkur package (from 29.5 km. to 62 km. of National Highway No. 4).

Work under the package, which has been taken up by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) through the private infrastructure builder, Jas Toll Company, is progressing as per schedule, according to the highly placed sources, and is expected to be completed by December 2003. However, the construction of service roads is expected to take about two or three months more.

Since the project is being implemented on the "Build operate and transfer" (BOT) basis, it is in the interests of the builder to complete it at the earliest, it is pointed out. The builder was said to be getting the work done through a small contractor, and there was fear that the transfer of money to the contractor might not be completed in time, and that this could cause a delay. Therefore, the NHAI insisted on issuance of post-dated cheques by the builder to the contractor, and this has ensured the progress of work.

The Nelamangala-Tumkur package of the GQ Project will have 9.1 km. of service roads, 55 culverts, 10 minor bridges, a 1.2-k.m. flyover at Dobbspet, three underpasses, two toll "plazas" (each 10 lanes), five pedestrian subways, two truck lay-bys, and one rest area.

Under the project, 33 hectares of land has to be acquired from farmers, and efforts are on in this regard. The consent of farmers and other landowners is being taken before commencing work on their lands. The payment of compensation will be made after the Special Land Acquisition Officer appointed by the State Government passes orders.

Initially, people were not ready to give consent. "Now, they see the benefits of facilitating the early completion of the project,'' sources told The Hindu. If the work is delayed, people will have to put up with the dust and traffic disturbances for a longer period, they said.

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