Motorists complain of vibrations on rapid road; BBMP says it’s rumours

BENGALURU: Just 10 days after India’s first ‘rapid road’, a 500-metre stretch in Binnamangala where 100 ft Road and Old Madras Road meet, was opened to traffic, road users have started complaining about its quality and say they feel vibrations when moving along that stretch. However, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has dismissed the complaints as mere rumours.

Regular white-topping work needs traffic-free roads, for which diversions have to be made, and it is also time consuming. Hence, the Palike decided to experiment with rapid road in the Silicon city. A stretch of 1 km can be completed within three days as pre-fabricated concrete slabs are used. The technology will be improvised after a study of the road condion.

Rapid road users experiencing vibration between slabs.

BBMP Chief Engineer B S Prahalad said, “In just 10 days after opening the stretch, motorists have started complaining about the rapid road. They say the vehicles shake and drivers feel vibrations between the slabs when heavy vehicles move. The BBMP has asked IISc to submit a report on this road. We have constructed a 375 metre stretch of rapid road as a pilot project in Indiranagar near Old Madras Road with advanced technology”.

BBMP Chief Engineer said rumours are being spread about the rapid road.

“Some people are spreading false information, which is not right. Other states are keenly following our road works. Teams had come from Hyderabad, Nagpur and Ahmedabad to observe the work. The road was opened in 10 days ago and an IISC team will study how the technology can be improved. The rapid road has iron rods and steel cables. We experimented it on the outskirts of the city to observe if there are any shortcomings and to make improvements”, the chief engineer added.