Ejipura flyover work picks up after years of delay, completion target set for year-end

Time of India

14 hours ago

Bengaluru: After nearly eight years of slow progress, the city's much-delayed Ejipura flyover project is finally moving at a brisk pace. With 60% of the construction now complete, BBMP has set an ambitious goal of completing the 2.5km flyover by the end of this year.
The flyover, stretching from Ejipura Main Road (Inner Ring Road Junction) to Kendriya Sadan Junction, is intended to decongest the heavily burdened 100-Feet Road in Koramangala. The contract was originally given to Simplex Infrastructure in 2017, but the project was marked by repeated delays, missed deadlines, and multiple contractor issues.
Raghavendra Prasad, chief engineer, quality control division, BBMP, stated, "After a prolonged impasse, we are now confident of delivering the project within this calendar year."
According to him, nearly 70 out of 84 pillars are complete, with 325 of the necessary 762 segments already installed.
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Despite a contract deadline of Nov 2019, Simplex managed to finish only 42.8% of the project within five years, even after time extensions and incurring a penalty of Rs 2.5 crore. The urban development department eventually terminated the company's contract on March 3, 2022, and seized the security deposit of Rs 10.16 crore.
BBMP floated fresh tenders three times, all of which went unanswered. In the fourth round, Hyderabad-based BSCPCL Pvt Ltd submitted a bid and was awarded the remaining work in Nov 2023, with a 15-month timeline.
A senior BBMP official involved in the oversight mentioned, "Initially, there were coordination issues even with the new contractor. We had to issue two notices to BSCPCL, and the chief minister himself warned that delays would not be tolerated.
That sent a strong message."
The cost to complete the remaining construction, excluding GST, is now set at Rs 176.1 crore, which is Rs 48 crore higher than the original estimate. Payments totalling Rs 52.1 crore have already been released to BSCPCL by BBMP, tied to the project's physical progress.
Down and up ramps are being constructed on the Madiwala-Ejipura side, and a loop towards Sarjapur is also underway. Upon completion, the flyover aims to make seven major junctions signal-free, thereby significantly improving travel times across one of the most congested areas of the city.
One of the final challenges is the acquisition of 5,999 sq metres of land near St John's Medical College and hostel, required to complete the structure. "We are in discussions with the hospital authorities. Once that land is handed over, the final phase of construction will move faster. This flyover will transform mobility across the Koramangala–Ejipura–Madivala corridor," said Prasad.
BBMP has also initiated the transplantation of 30–40 trees along the project alignment.