After a gap of over five months, the authorities are likely to allow heavy vehicles, such as buses, trucks, and others, on the Goraguntepalya flyover (Peenya flyover). However, multi-axle trucks carrying heavy loads will not be allowed.
Chandra Kishen J.M. from the Civil Engineering Department of IISc., who is part of an expert committee, said, “Recently, we attended a meeting with board members of the NHAI. There, I had told them that heavy vehicles, such as buses and normal trucks, carrying legally allowed loads can be allowed on the flyover. However, trucks with excess loads and multi-axle trucks carrying heavy materials, such as granites and others, should not be allowed. An expert committee will decide on the way forward and give the necessary recommendations to the NHAI”.
In December 2021, the authorities barred vehicular movement on the flyover, after NHAI officials found safety issues with cables of two spans during a routine inspection. The NHAI had missed several deadlines to fix the problem and faced the wrath of motorists, who spent long hours in the traffic.
After a long wait, in mid-February only light motor vehicles were allowed on the flyover. Ban on heavy vehicles on the flyover has resulted in traffic congestion under the flyover from Gorgutenaplaya till the Parle G toll gate.
Thousands of vehicles, including hundreds of inter-State and intra-State buses, use the road daily. In the night, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the other private buses take long hours to cross the stretch.
DCP West (traffic) Kuldeep Kumar R. Jain said, “Traffic police will allow the movement of heavy vehicles on the flyover after getting clearance from the NHAI officials. We have not received any written communication so far. We had banned the movement of heavy vehicles on the flyover considering the safety issues that has resulted in heavy traffic pressures on main lanes under the flyover. Everyday thousands of vehicle use Tumakuru Road stretch that also links industrial hubs and residential localities. Manning slow-moving traffic is difficult and we are managing by deploying more traffic police”.
Recently, the traffic police had also asked the NHAI officials to rectify all non-functional streetlights on the flyover.
A “health survey” of all flyovers in the city
The city’s civic body has roped in a third-party agency to carry out a “health survey” of all flyovers in the city. “We carried out this exercise for the first time in 2019. Since it has been three years, we have again ordered a survey of all flyovers. The agency will check for structural issues, safety, and other issues and submit a report, based on which any necessary action will be taken,” said Ravindra P.N., Special Commissioner (Projects), BBMP.
The survey has been ordered after the Goraguntepalya flyover developed structural issues posing safety risk and waterlogging has been observed on Sirsi Circle flyover during the rain, sources said. “It is a periodic exercise that we need to do,” a senior official said.
