Preeja Prasad By Express News Service BENGALURU: If you are taking Hosur Main Road (the road abutting Christ University, also called Marigowda Road), in the next two months, either to go towards Lalbagh, Electronic City or Sarjapur Road, think twice. Reason: The lane heading towards Forum Mall from Lalbagh has been closed. Hence, as soon as the Dairy Circle Flyover (a stretch of 1.23 km) ends, you will be presented with a massive bottleneck which has been badly affecting Christ University and Christ Junior College students, and office goers headed both ways. The ‘culprit’ is the white-topping project which has been taken up by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), and which began on November 27, for which the lane has been closed for traffic. Assistant Commissioner of Police (South East), Traffic, Siddalingappa S T, has requested motorists normally using this road, to avoid Hosur Main Road for another two months at least, as the work has forced slow movement of traffic. BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar said, “It will take 25 days to finish a stretch which is inclusive of curing that takes 10 days. After that, the opposite side will be taken up. So the situation will continue for two months. Commuters will have to take alternative routes.” Although only one side of the road has been shut for the time being, people are now forced to squeeze through on the other side which has been kept open for vehicular movement -- and this is a crucial road link between South Bengaluru and the IT hubs in the south-east of the city, including Electronic City. The road connects various stretches like HSR Layout, Adugodi, Devarachikkanahalli, Madiwala, Koramangala, Whitefield, Electronic City, Parappana Agrahara and Silk Board, and is used by lakhs of people every day. Christ University and Christ Junior College students have been severely affected by the traffic jam, especially because the main gate of the institutions is right on this road. The students have no other option other than going all the way around via Bannerghatta Road and enter from the obscure rear entrance—easily a distance of about 2 km from the main gate, going by Bannerghatta Road. The other alternative is walking the stretch from the vehicle dropping them. “We normally take a bus from Wilson Garden, but once we reach the flyover at Dairy Circle, we’re stuck. It takes 20 minutes more to reach our college. Sometimes we get down from the bus before the stop and walk because it takes lesser time,” said Reeve J, a first-year degree student. She added that several students walk on the median on the flyover due to traffic taking up most of the space. Several netizens have taken to social media to condemn the BBMP’s work. “A better day to take ‘work from home’. Can’t describe the traffic in words at Hosur Main Road,” said one user. Simi Menon, a commuter, said, “There’s heavy congestion on Hosur Main Road from Forum Mall, Adugodi, New Mico Road and Dairy Circle. Kids start from home at 7 am to reach their school just 3 km away. However, they reach at 10 am and miss two periods due to the traffic,” she said. PERENNIAL TRAFFIC JAM Until a few months ago, Hosur Road, which meets Hosur Main Road just ahead of Forum Mall where Sarjapur Road too intersects, was witnessing traffic problems due to white-topping. Much of the traffic coming from west and south-west, and heading towards the IT corridors, started taking the Hosur Main Road. ALTERNATIVE ROUTE Those from South Bengaluru may take the Bannerghatta Road to reach Hosur Road via MICO Road Cross and then to Hosur Junction next to Forum Mall, from where one can proceed on Hosur Road to reach Electronic City, or go left to head on Sarjapur Road.

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