Gandhi Bazaar main road open for vehicles; problems persist

Amidst continuing opposition, the Gandhi Bazaar Main Road, which underwent a makeover, was recently thrown open to vehicular movement with no formal inauguration.

With the road between Gandhi Bazaar Circle to Karanji Anjaneya Circle being narrowed to a width of just 23 feet, residents and traders said that the makeover has not really benefited most stakeholders of the busy street. 

With the road between Gandhi Bazaar Circle to Karanji Anjaneya Circle being narrowed to a width of just 23 feet, residents and traders said that the makeover has not really benefited most stakeholders of the busy street.  (Source: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.)

Although the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) wanted to pedestrianise the street, the plan was later dropped. The remodelling work went on for over a year much to the dissatisfaction of traders and residents. 

“We are happy that the road has been opened, but there are no regulations from either the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) or the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) which is very sad. From regulation of traffic movement to allocation of specific spaces for street vendors, nothing has taken place. We were hoping this work would make the road better, but now we are wondering what the actual purpose of the project was,” said Arun Adiga, owner, Vidyarthi Bhavan on Gandhi Bazaar main road. 

Resident and activist N.S. Mukunda of Bengaluru Praja Vedike also shared similar views and said that the project has left everyone with more questions about the future of the shopping street. 

“The road is just 23 feet now and most BMTC buses are not able to come in. If a bus takes this road, then no other vehicle can enter the road until the bus passes. Even ambulances were stuck in the traffic a couple times. They have spent ₹17 crore on this project, but it is benefiting no one,” he said. 

He added, “Bugle Rock Road and HB Samaja Road are both choked for them to divert traffic (of about 5,000 vehicles) there. Where will they divert the traffic now?” 

With the road between Gandhi Bazaar Circle to Karanji Anjaneya Circle being narrowed to a width of just 23 feet, residents and traders said that the makeover has not really benefited most stakeholders of the busy street.  (Source: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.)

The traffic police said that while the width of the road has certainly been narrowed, it would not affect traffic movement too much. “If it gets congested, then the movement of emergency vehicles might be affected and that is the major problem,” said M.N. Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru.