GBA Chief holds meeting over measures to decongest ORR

Chief Commissioner of the Greater Bangalore Authority (GBA), M. Maheshwar Rao, on Friday chaired a review meeting with civic officials, tech park representatives, and mobility experts to chalk out short- and medium-term measures to ease traffic congestion along the Outer Ring Road (ORR)–Sarjapur Road corridor.

During the meeting, the World Resources Institute (WRI) India and Astram teams presented geo-spatial and traffic analysis reports. The proposals covered road network improvements, pedestrian infrastructure, and strengthening of public transport in the city’s busiest tech corridor.

Key measures discussed include clearing potholes, relocating bus stops, and removing encroachments to improve accessibility, extending BMTC’s MF-1C feeder service from K.R. Puram Metro Station (Purple Line) to Silk Board Metro Station (Yellow Line), submitting a proposal for viability gap funding (VGF) to expand BMTC’s services along the ORR corridor, and conducting a feasibility study to revive the bus priority lane in coordination with BMRCL and DULT.

Contractors fined

Two contractors working on white-topping projects in the city were fined ₹2 lakh each for failing to provide adequate safety measures, barricades, and warning signs at their work sites. The penalty was imposed on contractors handling works on Sarjapur Road.

Drive against SUP

The Bengaluru North City Corporation on Friday conducted a drive against banned single-use plastics and conducted health check-ups for pourakarmikas. In a joint inspection led by the Solid Waste Management Department, officials seized 350 kg of banned plastic from four shops and six storage units within the corporation limits. Fines amounting to ₹2.76 lakh were imposed on violators.