Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar Monday rode his fully-restored Yezdi motorcycle on the Airport flyover ramp, moments after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated the newly built loop.
Shivakumar had bought the motorcycle for Rs 10,400 during his college days.
The deputy chief minister had faced embarrassment after a scooter he had borrowed to inspect the same loop earlier was found to have pending traffic fines amounting to Rs 18,500.
The new 700-metre stretch, government sources claimed, would ease the commuting experience of those traveling from KR Puram and Nagawara towards the city centre.
The Rs 80-crore construction project began in 2024, featuring a 100-metre up-ramp and a 600-metre stretch extending towards Mekhri Circle. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) encountered multiple setbacks during the construction phase, missing at least three completion deadlines. Officials cited challenges, including delays in departmental clearances and the complexities of construction while maintaining traffic flow on the heavily used flyover.
Shivakumar said the traffic congestion on the stretch would be reduced by 30 per cent. However, on the day of the inauguration, traffic on airport road took a major hit with the police barricading several roads for VIP movement.
Bengaluru (South) MP Tejasvi Surya took to social media to highlight the issue of traffic congestion. “On my way to Delhi this morning to attend Parliament, I was stuck at Hebbal Junction for nearly 50 minutes along with thousands of people and almost missed my flight. All because the state government chose a Monday morning peak hour as the appropriate time for the flyover inauguration program. A long weekend was just behind us – they could easily have picked a time with minimal disruption. But the last thing ever considered is the comfort of commuters. Neither in project design nor in inauguration planning is the public kept in mind. It’s always for the politicians, by the politicians,” he added.
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Reacting to Surya’s post, Shivakumar said, “We cannot answer for all claims. We are here to serve people, don’t worry.”