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TTMC - a case of total misuse of JNNURM funds
Written By murali772 - 4 May, 2010
Bangalore Infrastructure governance BMTC JNNURM TTMC Media Reports Others Traffic
The Jayanagar TTMC was built with a swanky futuristic look but all what’s within is huge empty spaces and leaking walls and roofs. Almost close to completing a year now, all the promises are still on paper. Apart from the busy bus service in the basement, there’s been no progress within. A quick survey of the entire building reveals nothing more than empty spaces, unfinished structures and poor quality of construction. Even the flooring and electrical wiring have not been completed. The walls and beams have already given in to the recent rain. The unfinished wiring works on the first and second floors are now seen soaked.
At a time when there is serious shortage of parking space, this TTMC has a huge park and ride provision on the terrace with a capacity of nearly 110 cars. The original idea behind it was that people could drive in, park their cars/ two-wheelers and board their bus. But, with no lifts ready yet, people are forced to walk the entire ramp up and down to park and ride. According to locals here, weekdays hardly see even 10-15 cars parked here. Even on weekends, the numbers hardly touch 20.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 12.9 crore, this building was completed in July 2009 and declared open within a month. According to the plan, the TTMC was to house a multi-level parking lot, mini-shopping centres, food courts, BangaloreOne kiosks and ATMs among others.
NURM’s condition for the project is that these TTMCs must be a public space and not for commercial purposes. However, with no proper response from the RTO and the commercial tax offices yet to set up their counters here yet, little is known about the plight of the incomplete first and second floors at this TTMC.
Admits Jayanagar MLA B N Vijayakumar: “The main purpose is complete as of now. There could be some relief with a parking shelter above. Improper planning of space utilization here has a majority of the building still unused”.
There is a plan for at least 10 Traffic and Transport Management Centres (TTMCs) for the city, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). But the very first TTMC built at Jayanagar 4th Block sees persistently leaking roofs and walls in less than a year.
For the full report in the TOI, click here
Here is a recent pictures of the massive Koramangala TTMC, under construction
And, the comparatively smaller Domlur TTMC
So, when the year-old Jayanagar TTMC has still to find takers for its huge empty spaces, what is going to be the fate of these newer ones?
The TTMCs would perhaps rank as the biggest misuse of JNNURM funds in the state, while simultaneously causing the biggest uglyfication of the city-scape. The chief architects - the minister, Mr R Ashoka, and the person who perhaps conceived this plan, the erstwhile BMTC, MD, Mr U Tripathy, both need special recognition.
Muralidhar Rao
COMMENTS
murali772 - 23 December, 2010 - 07:43
I raised the following query with BBMP under RTI on 8th Nov. Still to get a response, though it's well over a month now. I am now going on appeal:
The BMTC has put up TTMC's all across Bangalore (eight in number, apart from the Shantinagar and Jayanagar edifices), and has offered commercial space on these to businesses, as per its advertisement dated 7th Sept, 2010, published in all leading newspapers.
In this regard, please advise
a) if the BMTC has obtained plan approvals from you for all the complexes,
b) if the BMTC has obtained occupancy certificates in respect of the Shantinagar and Jayanagar complexes which are already in use,
c) the figures for property taxes being paid by BMTC for the last three years in respect of the Shantinagar TTMC, and for the past year in respect of the Jayanagar TTMC.
Jayanagar TTMC parking gets a cover..
srinidhi - 7 February, 2011 - 06:56
..and a lift !!
So finally its usable now..except that its a 6 person lift with a operator on a chair.. effectively a push and shove can accomodate 6 ppl in the lift!
Probably now..the other two un-occupied levels can also be changed for parking!
imran_huq17 - 7 February, 2011 - 07:14
The lift at the Jayanagar TTMC works if there is power or there is Disel in the Generator or else you have to climb 4 floors....so make sure there is power supply before you park your vehicle in Jayanagar TTMC.
I wish the Traffic Police look at these practical difficulties the public faces before banning parking at other places and enforcing parking at the TTMC.
Imran.
This is what the Koramangala TTMC looks like now - massive indeed! It was inaugurated over 3 months back. But, there's hardly any activity of new there - looks like it's still mostly empty. Obviously, matters like 'return on investment' are no major criterion for the likes of BMTC in making investments. Blow up the JnNURM funds, collect your cuts, and to hell with the rest!
murali772 - 8 September, 2010 - 13:45
So, over 10 lakh sq ft of commercial space on offer between 8 TTMC's - check this. And, this does not include the Jayanagar TTMC, which, when last heard of, has been lying vacant from close to two years.
And, what happens to the NURM condidtion that the space created should not be used for commercial purposes? Perhaps time to raise a few RTI queries.
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