Bengaluru: Should Bengaluru’s most congested corridor be rebuilt with stone mastic asphalt (SMA) or concrete? That question dominated a public consultation on the proposed Rs 450-crore redevelopment of the 17.1km Outer Ring Road (ORR) stretch between Silk Board and KR Pura, with a majority of local residents and regular commuters urging Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-Smile) to drop its whitetopping proposal and retain asphalt surfacing.The programme was convened by Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda Saturday.While B-Smile’s draft detailed project report (DPR) proposes whitetopping of the carriageway, many citizens argued that asphalt roads can be laid faster and would cause less disruption to a corridor already plagued by chronic traffic congestion.The residents said the prolonged construction period required for whitetopping could worsen commuting conditions for lakhs of motorists using ORR daily.
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Some also raised concerns over water percolation and drainage issues associated with concrete roads.On the other hand, a few argued that though it might cause inconvenience for a few months, whitetopped roads could last longer.Infra Support Engineering Consultants Pvt Ltd, the agency preparing the DPR, presented the advantages and disadvantages of both options. According to the draft DPR, asphalt offers quicker construction but entails higher life-cycle costs and more frequent maintenance. Whitetopping, meanwhile, is projected to have a lifespan of 25-30 years, lower maintenance requirements, higher load-bearing capacity and better resistance to rutting, but requires a longer construction period and could lead to significant traffic disruption during execution. However, some referred to whitetopping as a money-making scheme. They said the road to the airport from the trumpet interchange is not concrete, but it has still withstood rain and heat because of the quality used.Byre Gowda assured the participants that the suggestions would be examined and incorporated before a revised DPR is prepared.“We will take all your suggestions and come up with a proper plan which works out the best.”The service roads will be taken up for asphalting only as all the utilities run under them which might need to be cut for maintenance.Manohar Reddy, a resident of ORR area, said, “The 5.5km stretch of the Outer Ring Road is a critical corridor that requires free-flowing traffic. Whitetopping is costly, time-consuming and causes prolonged inconvenience… We request the authorities not to undertake whitetopping on this stretch and instead prioritise measures that ensure smooth traffic flow.”Raghavendra Rao, another resident, added: “We have asphalt roads between the airport toll gate and the airport terminals that are so good. You can’t see a single pothole or waterlogging. Why can’t we have such top-quality asphalt roads here too?”Other suggestions from citizensEnsure skywalks are built adjacent to bus stops for seamless pedestrian accessInstall world-class street lighting along the corridorStreamline the movement and parking of cabs and other vehicles on service roadsProvide direct skywalk connectivity to tech parksDesign stormwater drains with capacity to meet future demandIntroduce dedicated bus-priority lanes.Streamline the halting of outstation buses on ORRPlace greater emphasis on cycling infrastructureRegulate timings for the movement of heavy vehicles on the corridorRecreational spaces under flyoversByre Gowda suggested that spaces beneath flyovers be developed into recreational and public-use areas. The proposed features include gig hubs with shaded seating, wi-fi facilities, water stations, organised auto-rickshaw lay-bys with digital queue systems and shaded waiting areas.While welcoming the proposal, citizens suggested that these spaces should also accommodate high-tech public toilets, which are currently lacking along the ORR, and provide parking facilities considering the high volume of vehicles using the corridor.Key stakeholders missingSeveral key stakeholders were absent from the public consultation. They included: Mahadevapura MLA Manjula Limbavali, traffic police representatives, B-Smile director BS Prahalad and independent director RK Mishra and Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA).Possible timelineByre Gowda said the govt aims to commence work on the project by Oct and complete it by the end of next year. However, the timeline will largely depend on whether the main carriageway is eventually asphalted or whitetopped.Project and statsLength of road proposed for redevelopment: 17.1 kmNumber of employees working at companies on the ORR stretch: 6,42,500Average number of vehicles that ply on the road daily: 3,38,800
