Residents of Whitefield are already dreading the prospect of traffic jams once work on Phase 2 of Namma Metro begins. The already choked roads, which see a high volume of traffic, are expected to see diversions once construction begins.
“We want to see some improvement on roads before Metro work begins. The situation in Whitefield is already so bad that people are on the verge of quitting their jobs and moving out. Let officials build at least one road or footpath,” said Nitya Ramakrishnan, a Whitefield resident.
The group, Whitefield Rising, has already taken to protests and complaints to draw attention to the issue. “There needs to be some sort of holistic planning to accommodate people who are working here. Officials need to work with a three pronged approach that includes the BMTC, railways and BMRCL,” Ms. Nitya added.
However, Additional Commissioner (Traffic) M.A. Saleem said the police already had experience of working with metro diversions in core areas. “Work will not begin without planning alternatives,” he said.
BMRCL spokesperson U.A. Vasanth Rao said diversions are necessary to ensure metro becomes a long-term solution in the area.
