COMMENTS

The bangalore mirror carried an update on BETL. Full article here

WILL OPEN IN NOV

You need to wait till November before driving on the elevated highway. The project was earlier scheduled to be open this week. A National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official said, “We now expect the project to open in November first week. However, ground realities may push it to the middle of November.” The project was conceived in September 2004 while the ground work started in July 2006. It was supposed to be completed in July 2008. Initially, it was escalating costs of cement and steel that delayed the project, followed by recession and the Maytas scam. Now, incessant rainfall is playing spoilsport, according to officials.

Rs 776 CR PROJECT

The elevated road project is constructed on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. According to the Bangalore Elevated Tollway Limited (BETL) website, the Rs 775.7 crore project is being executed through special purpose vehicle BETL, created by the joint venture partners involving Maytas Infra, Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) and Soma Enterprises (SEL).

SILK BOARD BOTTLENECK

Flyovers are always criticised as not a viable alternative as they are said to shift traffic from one junction to another. There are similar fears being expressed about the Hosur flyover as the Silk Board flyover could turn out to be a bottleneck. Traffic experts say that the vehicles can move smoothly from Hosur to Central Silk Board junction but may pile up thereafter as there are no free turns at the grade separator. They suggest clover leaf or semi clover leaf models for clearing traffic at Central Silk Board.

vinod

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Here is some news from Express.  BETL will be thrown open to the public in May.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Elevated+highway+to+be+ready

I hope they have thought through a few things

a. Managing accidents and breakdowns.  If one or worse both lanes get blocked because of a breakdown or accident, how does a towing vehicle/ambulance reach quickly.  They have exits only at each end.  The part of the road behind the accident will be crazy - so no access from there.  A towing vehicle will have to drive against the traffic to reach?  Do they have removable median sections to provide accress or create counter flow lanes?

b. Toll collection - hopefully only at exits and NOT at entrances.  The toll booth at the exit will serve to regulate traffic as well into the city roads near Silkboard.

c. How will they regulate speed on the expressway given Bangaloreans' good sense of safety and voluntary submission to rules and regulations?

I think I will stand near Silkboard a few weeks after the highway is opened to watch what happens.

Srivathsa

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This was the toll plaza a couple of weeks after the Delhi Gurgaon expressway opened.  Shows the futility of trying to keep up with cars.  When I watch the cars in Bombay on the WE Highway heading towards town most have ONE person in them.  70 kg of man and 1000 kg of metal. 

I am sure all the people in the above pictures would fit into 1 MRT 6 coach train.

I don't know if things have improved a great deal in the last 1 year.

Srivathsa

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I think I will stand near Silkboard a few weeks after the highway is opened to watch what happens.

This is probably what you will see

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We must complete this project to coincide with the completion of the elevated corridor,

Isnt it too late already?

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