MUDA sets 8-month deadline to complete ORR
The traffic woes of the residents of Mysore are expected to be put to rest soon with the proposed Outer Ring Road (ORR) planned by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) set to be completed within 8 months. Work on the project which has been pending since many years is expected to start immediately.
Project to address traffic snarls:
The project is expected to address the traffic snarls along the Narasimharaja Boulevard, which connects MG road to the Kozhikode-Mysore-Kollegal highway, also called NH-212. This will enable the prevention of heavy vehicles from entering the city. Work is pending on the remaining stretch of 9.3 km on the eastern side of the ORR, connecting Bannur road junction and Nanjagud road junction. Incidentally, traffic was opened on a part of the ORR nearly nine years back.
Land acquisition issues caused delay:
Land acquisition issues resulted in work on the project being stalled almost a decade back. Road users were put to considerable inconvenience due to the incomplete stretch of the ORR. Due to entry of heavy vehicles along the unfinished stretch, the occurrence of accidents became common. With all the legal hurdles having being cleared, it is expected that the project deadline would be met this time. The project involves linking the stretch of 9.3 km, which will complete the ring. The estimated cost of the project is about Rs. 64.28 crore.
Work to be completed across four packages:
Work for the remaining part of the project is expected to be tendered in two weeks time. Tenders will be invited to complete the work pending in package 1 and package 2. Subsequently, a financial bid will be floated for the completion of work in package 3, for which 40% work is yet to be completed. Package 4 will involve the completion of minor civil work, following which electrical connection will be provided. The delay in completion of pending work was attributed to the contractor’s incompetence in executing the assigned work, due to which their contract was terminated.
Delay in completion near railway lines and bridges:
As opined by the commissioner of MUDA, there is expected to be a further delay in the completion of work on ORR stretches near railway lines. Besides, work near railway bridges will be taken up only during the next stage of the project. This is primarily because the central government’s approval is required in this regard. Apparently, work is pending near four railway bridges along the ORR corridor. Considerable work will required to be done along these stretches for conversion from single-lane to four-lane stretches, as planned.
Project impact on connectivity and realty sector:
The completion of the project will ensure excellent connectivity across the city. The Bangalore-Mysore highway, also called the SH-17, criss-crosses the ORR on the northern periphery of the city. Besides, the Hunsur road traverses the ORR on the western periphery and the Mananthavadi road on the southern periphery. Some of the areas in the vicinity of the ORR where considerable appreciation in capital values is expected are Hebbal 1st and 2nd stages, Rajiv Nagar, JP Nagar, Vijayanagar, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Mahadevapura, BEML Nagar etc.
