Bengaluru forms task force to speed up Varthur-Gunjur road works

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has directed officials to constitute a multi-agency task force to accelerate pending infrastructure works along the congested Varthur-Gunjur stretch of SH-35.

GBA chief commissioner Maheshwar Rao carried out an early-morning inspection of the corridor on Saturday following continuing complaints over traffic congestion, damaged roads and delays in ongoing infrastructure work, reported The Times of India.

Rao walked along the stretch between Varthur Kodi and Varthur police station, inspecting roadworks, traffic bottlenecks and commuter facilities.

He said one of the main factors delaying work was the involvement of multiple agencies operating independently along the same corridor.

“I’ve asked Bengaluru East City Corporation (BECC) to form a task force to speed up the work. Officials from all the departments concerned must coordinate and complete the pending works in a time-bound manner,” Rao told Times of India.

Rao said utility-related works were still pending, including works involving the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom).

“There are works yet to be taken up by BWSSB, while Bescom is currently shifting utility lines. We’ve also identified critical bottlenecks that need to be addressed so traffic movement can improve,” he said.

BECC additional commissioner Lokande Snehal Kumar said a meeting involving the stakeholder agencies would be convened the following week, after which the multi-agency task force would be constituted.

“We’ll be holding a meeting next week. A multi-agency task force will then be constituted to monitor progress and ensure better coordination. Similar mechanisms will also be considered for other major infrastructure projects,” she said.

Rao also directed officials to address immediate problems on the corridor rather than waiting for long-term road widening works.

He said several sections had damaged pedestrian pathways and large potholes.

“I noticed several stretches where pedestrians are forced to walk on damaged surfaces. There are also multiple locations with large potholes. These need to be repaired immediately to ensure smooth and safe movement,” Rao said.

Dust from ongoing works was another issue raised by residents.

“There are sections where loose jelly stones have been dumped. We’ve instructed officials to take measures to control dust and make the road more commuter-friendly while the main project continues,” he added.

The Varthur-Gunjur corridor has seen rapid residential development and heavy commuter movement, particularly from people working in Bengaluru’s technology sector.