Bengaluru: Hebbal Junction Flyover Renovation Is Set To Restart Soon

Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is resuming work on the heavily congested Hebbal flyover, which was halted in April 2019.

Hebbal Junction flyover, situated on the Airport road, is a major connecting road to the Airport and one among many traffic congestion zones in the city. It currently connects six routes spreading over 5 km in total via a network of loop ramps.

• A 700 m two-lane ramp from Mekhri Circle to Esteem Mall on Airport road.

• A 700 m two-lane ramp from Esteem mall towards Mekhri circle.

• A 900 m two-lane ramp from KR Puram side of Outer Ring Road connects to the ramp from Airport road.

• A 450 m two-lane ramp for Vehicles from BHEL circle toward Mekhri Circle.

• A one-km ramp connecting Mekhri circle to KR Puram side of Outer Ring Road.

• A 900 m single-lane ramp from Mekhri circle to BHEL circle.

Major congestion is caused by the convergence of traffic from Tumkur Road and K.R. Puram through the loops that connect the flyover.

In 2019, the BDA halted the building of additional loops to the existing flyover for the convenience of traffic coming from the airport and travelling towards the city.

About 13 of the 43 piers were built. The project was halted after Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) objected, claiming that it would interfere with the proposed Namma Metro development.

This year, the State's High Powered Committee met with both agencies twice (on 28 April and 12 September) to break the gridlock on the matter.

On Wednesday (14 December), BMRCL gave the BDA the approval, after it decided to return to its previous plan of carrying out various infra works only on the flyover's first level. It has abandoned its ambitions to construct on the second floor.

According to a top BDA official, apart from an underpass, only two lanes would be created from the airport to the city on the first level.

"This will assist people entering the city from the airport, who currently encounter massive congestion at the Hebbal flyover, as well as those arriving from Yelahanka, Doddaballapur, Jakkur, Doddaballapur, Gauribidanur, Sahakar Nagar, Coffee Board Layout, and adjacent areas", said BDA offcial, reports The New Indian Express.

In a bid to ease the traffic gridlock in Hebbal junction, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has floated a new ₹225 crore tender in August to undertake the construction of a new flyover, an underpass and additional loops to the existing flyover.

The new tender incorporates significant design changes to its earlier plan for the Hebbal flyover that had to be revisited following objections by the BMRCL.

Hebbal Flyover

The Hebbal flyover, a gateway for automobiles entering the city from National Highway 44, was opened to motorists nearly two decades ago. The overpass, which had multiple loops, also made it easier for people to travel to Yeshwantpur and KR Puram.

The city grew and the vehicular population increased rapidly over time (it now exceeds one crore), and more importantly, the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) opened. As a result, the flyover has seen greater usage, resulting in traffic congestion.

Hebbal will eventually become a major transit crossroads, according to a BMRCL official. The BMRCL's ORR-airport line is being built, and a metro station will be built at the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) depot near Hebbal.

As per Namma Metro Phase III, an intersection station would be built in Kempapura, and the alignment will run from Hebbal (through ORR) to J P Nagar. In addition, the state government has also planned the construction of a metro line from Sarjapur to Hebbal.

K-RIDE (Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Ltd is also building a railway station as part of a suburban rail project. The first phase of the project will run through Hebbal from Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanvara.

The Karnataka government and BMRCL had engaged Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) to conduct a comprehensive study and prepare a master plan for capacity augmentation at Hebbal Junction to meet the estimated road traffic requirement of 2051 and integration of other modes of transport like Metro and suburban lines.