Bangalore:
Name any road around Shivaji Nagar and you would find it on the list of roads identified for widening. Not many would name Station Road, as it is considered one of those nameless ones that vehicles just pass through. The average commuter might say that a wider road would be in his favour. However, owners of a few properties located here wonder if it would benefit anyone.
The wide stretch near the under-bridge is already a troublesome area to navigate, pedestrians complain. "You have to keep waiting to cross the road, to enter the Cantonment Station and end up missing the train. It has happened to me a few times," says Philip Isaac, an entrepreneur, who commutes by train to Whitefield where his son attends college. Pedestrians' needs find no mention in projects like these, he complains. There is no way, one can walk under the bridge to cross over to Cantonment Station, says a resident of Jaymahal Road. One would be risking his life if he tried walking across station road, near Cantonment Station during rush hour, Isaac adds.
"There is hardly a case for widening this stretch. Like on most roads, the traffic here flows freely. It slows down sometimes when Queen's Road is full, or when the junction at St John's Church Road is congested," says Mahamood Miya, the principal of HKBK College located on this stretch. The college has about 600 students who come in early in the morning and leave a little after noon, making sure they do not add to the 'peak hour' traffic, Miya says. The institution, which has been located here for over a decade, cannot afford to lose any part of its compound to road widening, as it is already facing a shortage of parking space, although most of its students commute by bus. The government should spare their property and that belonging to their neighbour CSI Hospital and instead request the railway authorities to part with land for the road, he says.
Traders here have to deal with the large number of buses that move into the New Bamboo Road, which has become a one-way. The developments on Station Road may or may not impact them, they say. They have been waiting for the widening of Cockburn Road which is right after Station Road. When the bridge here was built, buses were 'temporarily' allowed into Bamboo Bazaar. Now, that has become 'permanent', they say.
"You will see that lots of land and properties are lying vacant on Cockburn Road. That is because, projects are not being sanctioned. If they intend to do it, they should take up the work soon. Then that road would become a two-way. Buses from Fraser Town would be able to access Station Road directly without entering Bamboo Bazaar," says Akbar Sharief, a garage owner, who has been in the area for 30 years. A church that was built recently, also had to part with some space in front for the road, he adds.
The few residents of Cockburn Road, who remain here hope that status quo is maintained. They hope that the stretch escapes the BBMP's radar. In retrospect, one can see that all this could have been avoided, says a property owner who plans to build a multi-storied apartment, where his old bungalow stands today.
Now, buses cannot enter this road from St John's Church Road. But things have improved after it got asphalted, he adds. As for widening, he feels the government would not only be invading the privacy of the public, but also the private property, which is unacceptable.
At the circle where four roads meet, confusion is inevitable, especially during the busy hours. The area is bustling as it has many workshops and timber shops. Also, the Russel Market, Commercial Street, Cunningham Road add to the load of this road. Considering this, it would be beneficial to have the Metro and a wider road here, says Siddique Basha the proprietor of a petrol bunk.
"We did a survey and found that 12,000 vehicles passed this way in 12 hours. A large number of those pass this way to go into residential areas beyond Cox Town. If the Metro comes here, many vehicles would go off the road," he says.
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