Richmond Circle flyover: Quick fix

The Richmond Circle flyover, which cost about Rs 18 crore in 2003, had the dubious distinction of being perhaps the only flyover in India to have a constable regulating traffic. Authorities are yet to figure out a way to make the best use of the flyover that links Mission Road, Residency Road, KH Road & Richmond Road

Link Richmond Road, Mohan Roy Road with an Underpass

Anil Bhaskaran MD, IDEA Centre Architects

According to Bhaskaran, a flyover has to connect to multiple roads to cater to the excess traffic and allow smooth flow. The Rich mond Circle junction is a meeting point for five roads but the flyover caters only to three roads, he says. Unless it connects all the directions, there is no point, he adds

SOLUTIONS At present, the flyover does not connect Richmond Road with Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road, which is an important feeder road. An under pass can be constructed to con nect the two roads. The underpass can be constructed in under six months using pre-cast concrete tunnels, similar to the one near Bashyam Circle. It may cost about `20 crore. Direction of vehicular movement can then be slightly reconfigured to result in free flow of traffic from Vittal Mallya, Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Richmond roads to KH Road (Double Road).Dividers on the flyover need to be permanent structures than moveable cement blocks.

Reverse the Flow on Flyover, Build a Circle to Aid Crossing

SOLUTIONS The up-ramp on Mission Road is hardly used now. It can be con verted into a down-ramp by re versing direction of traffic for those who are coming from Rich mond Road and trying to get to the west of the city. This can cut traffic congestion on Double Road.

It could result in crossing of traf fic on the flyover, which can be easily managed by building a small circle in the middle of the flyover. To ease the resultant crowding on Mission Road, the small link road connecting it to Raja Ram Mo han Roy road needs to be widened and cleared up. All of this can be done in a matter of days with no substantial cost involved.

A Balakrishna Hegde, MD, Chartered Housing

Hegde, a former CREDAI president, who lives at Rathna Avenue off Richmond Road, says the flyover has a faulty design.Rectification at this stage is difficult, he says, adding that bottlenecks occur at the end of the flyover