The BBMP is considering an underpass at Marenahalli Junction’s 11th Main Road in Bengaluru to address rising traffic congestion and improve movement for vehicles travelling from the Silk Board side through the Double Decker corridor, according to details discussed at a technical advisory committee meeting.
The proposal was discussed at a meeting held on September 30 under the chairmanship of S. Somashekar, a retired BBMP chief engineer. The committee also took up the development of junctions, improvements around Madiwala Lake and other civic infrastructure matters within the corporation’s southern jurisdiction.
Committee members said an underpass at Marenahalli Junction could provide greater convenience to vehicles approaching from the Silk Board side through the Double Decker route. The report did not specify the proposed underpass’s design, length, estimated cost, land requirements, construction agency or implementation schedule. The project is currently at the consideration stage and has not been described as an approved construction project.
Marenahalli is among Bengaluru’s busy road junctions, where traffic movement is affected by the concentration of residential areas, commercial activity and connections towards the Silk Board side. Any underpass proposal at the location would therefore need to be integrated with the existing road network and junction operations, although the committee report did not provide technical details on how traffic would be diverted or managed during construction.
The committee also decided to digitally map more than 300 important civic properties and assets, including schools, hospitals, stadia, commercial establishments and community halls. The properties are being recorded through GPS-based geolocation, with entries organised at ward, division and zonal levels.
The proposed digital register is expected to include each property’s area, building measurements, boundary markers and photographs. Details of properties given on lease or rent, including lease agreements, expiry dates and prescribed rental rates, are also being added to the software system.
According to the report, the database will help the civic body identify leases that have expired, revise rents in accordance with applicable rules and collect revenue on time. The committee said the system could also help curb unauthorised management of public assets and revenue leakage, though the report did not provide an estimate of the revenue currently at risk or the expected financial gains from the exercise.
A dedicated mobile application is being prepared for officials conducting site inspections. Engineers will be able to visit properties, update their physical condition, photographs and documents, and upload the information through the application. The committee said the management of the digital public-asset register would eventually be handed over to BBMP engineers after suitable training.
The meeting was attended by technical advisory committee members including Professor Anjaneyappa of R.V. educational institutions and Dr G. Shivakumar of Dayananda Sagar educational institutions, along with BBMP chief engineers Basavaraj Kabade and Malati. Further details on the Marenahalli underpass, including its technical feasibility, funding and execution timeline, were not announced in the report.
