The 6.2-km road, planned as a direct connection between Gunjur, Varthur, Panathur and the ORR via New Horizon College, is expected to provide an alternative to the congested roads in the area. A crucial road link in east Bengaluru, conceived nearly two decades ago as an alternative route to the Varthur-Panathur-Gunjur belt, is finally moving towards completion.
A major hurdle for the Gunjur-ORR road has been addressed with the identification of 5.4 acres of alternative government land in Dakshina Kannada. The unfinished road has faced several obstacles, including nearly six acres of forest land, a KPTCL substation, 20 private properties and two temples. The civic authorities sought diversion of 22,088 sq m in survey numbers 52 and 53 of Panathur village for the project.
The land, located in Cheebidare village of Belthangady taluk, is to be handed over to the forest department in exchange for the forest patch in Panathur needed for the road project. Of these, securing the forest land proved to be the biggest hurdle.
Belthangady land identified after earlier proposals
The forest land required for the road could not be diverted without equivalent compensatory land. Officials then identified suitable government land in Cheebidare village of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada. The Bengaluru East City Corporation requested the Dakshina Kannada administration to facilitate transfer of the identified land to the forest department. The Cheebidare site was selected after the Anekal proposal was rejected and the Mandur site was found unsuitable for afforestation. The move could pave the way for completing the missing road stretch.
An earlier proposal involving land near Anekal was rejected, while another site at Mandur was considered unsuitable for afforestation.
The proposed Gunjur-ORR link will be 6.2 km long and 140 ft wide. It is a key corridor under the 2015 Comprehensive Development Plan and was designed to provide a direct route connecting Gunjur, Varthur, Panathur and the Outer Ring Road. As a result, commuters have had to use a handful of narrow and congested roads.
Portions at both ends have already been completed, while the middle stretch has remained incomplete. the crucial middle stretch has remained missing for years Although sections at both ends of the road are complete. The planned link is intended to provide a direct connection between the Gunjur-Varthur-Panathur belt and the ORR.
