Hi-Tech traffic park project faces delays

Hubballi

The Hubballi-Dharwad Bus Rapid Transit System's (HD-BRTS) ambitious project to develop a hi-tech traffic park at Navanagar   has been delayed. The Rs 3 crore project aims to educate children on traffic rules, signals, and road safety. Though construction began in 2024, only an administration block, security room, and toilets have been completed. The delay is reportedly due to issues with the project's drawings.
According to HD-BRTS, the project was planned for 2019. Due to changes in the plan and other issues, the project got delayed. The design changed several times. The foundation stone for the project was laid by MLA Arvind Bellad on January 20, 2024. However, the contractor delayed the project. Officials instructed the contractor to finish construction works. The project is sanctioned by the directorate of urban land transport, Bengaluru.
HD-BRTS General Manager R Gudaraddi told   that the construction work of the traffic park is slowly progressing.  The work started in January 2024 but did not progress. We instructed the contractor to finish the construction of the administration block, toilets, and others. Soon after that, the park will be developed,  he said.
Gudaraddi said that under the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) project, the traffic park will be developed adjacent to the Navanagar BRTS bus stop by HD-BRTS. On about 7,250 square metres of land owned by the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, various projects will be developed for the benefit of the public and children.

 TOD integrates land use and transport planning and aims to develop planned sustainable urban growth centres, having walkable and liveable communes with high-density mixed land use.   However, the work is progressing at a sluggish pace. Officials should develop the project at the earliest.