The Jaraganahalli junction, popularly known as Sarakki junction and also often referred to as the “second Silk Board”, has been a traffic nightmare. With more apartments and housing societies developing around the Sarakki junction over the last decade, traffic has grown enormously at the Outer Ring Road (ORR) passing through the Sarakki junction.
And a flyover proposed here back in 2004 by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is still to become a reality. Though BBMP has announced several proposals to ease commuter travel at this junction, nothing has quite materialised. Last year, the baton was passed on to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL), but that has pushed the deadline for making the flyover a reality even further.
With Metro Phase III
While the BMRCL confirmed that it would build a road-cum flyover to ease traffic at the Sarakki Junction in Phase III of the metro construction, but when the project will begin is uncertain. The planning stage of Phase III project has been ongoing since 2015, with many routes under exploration.
Construction for Phase III is tentatively scheduled to commence in 2025 and conclude in the mid-2030s. Phase III will include the construction of other metro lines including Magadi Road Toll Gate to Kadabagere, Gottigere to Basavapura, R.K. Hegde Nagar to Aerospace Park, Kogilu Cross to Rajanukunte, Bommasandra to Attibele, Iblur to Carmelaram along with J.P. Nagar to K.R. Puram via Hebbal. By the time construction begins, multiple changes in the project’s scope and alignment can be expected to take place, which could also play a huge role in how soon the Sarakki flyover will be constructed.
Still to be approved
Speaking to The Hindu, Anjum Parvez the Managing Director of BMRCL, said that the next phase has not been approved yet. “The Sarakki flyover has been planned to be built in Phase III. We have already submitted the proposal for the next Phase, once we get an approval from the Government of India, and we begin work on the Phase III. The work on the flyover will also begin,” he said.
Mr. Parvez added, “We are not sure how long it will take for the proposal to be approved. However, after the approval, we will require 3-4 months to call for tenders, and we will begin Phase III soon after that.” When asked if there will be a delay in developing the Sarakki flyover once the Phase is approved, Mr. Parvez said, “We will begin work on all metro lines simultaneously once it is approved, there are no priorities on which metro line should be developed. Work will begin simultaneously across the City and engineers will handle a stretch of 10-15 kilometers at once, so there are no chances of the development of the flyover being delayed”.
Commuters’ woes continue
Meanwhile, commuters who are compelled to use this stretch of the road continue to be a frustrated lot.
Bhupesh Belagali, a cinematographer and a resident of BTM Layout, is compelled to pass through the Sarakki junction. “Even if I am just a few meters away from the signal, I have to stop at the red light at least 3-4 times. Though the destination is less than 10-15 kilometers from my house, it takes me anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour to reach the location,” he says.
Sandeep Jain, another commuter and a resident of J.P. Nagar, says that the once-green area is increasingly getting polluted. “I work at a school in Kanakpura road, which requires me to pass through Sarakki junction. Over the years I have noticed that with increasing number of idling vehicles at the junction, air pollution has increased. You can not commute at the stretch unless you are inside a car with an air conditioner or cover your face while commuting on a two wheeler.”
