BENGALURU: The Hebbal Flyover and Ballari Road corridor will not be completely closed for the 18-month construction period of the elevated corridor at Mehkri Circle, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) clarified on Saturday. Vehicular movement will continue with regulated restrictions and phased diversions, depending on construction requirements.
BDA Chairman NA Haris and Commissioner Major P Manivannan, accompanied by project consultants and engineers, inspected the project corridor and reviewed traffic arrangements with Bengaluru City Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Karthik Reddy.
Routes through New BEL Road and RT Nagar Station Road are among those being considered for alternative roads. Haris clarified that the existing road has three lanes in each direction. Construction barricading will occupy around 4.5 metres, affecting one lane, while the remaining two lanes and the service road will remain open to traffic.
Cars, two-wheelers, school buses, BMTC and KSRTC buses will be permitted, while goods vehicles will face restrictions as specified in the Traffic Police advisory. The Rs 445.7-crore elevated corridor, stretching 1.74 km from the University of Agricultural Sciences Staff Quarters towards Mehkri Circle, is expected to be completed in 18 months. It will have around 49 pillars, an elevated rotary junction and two down-ramps towards Yeshwanthpur via CV Raman Road and Jayamahal Road.
Meanwhile, Prof Ashish Verma, convenor of the IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab, said the BDA had approached him to conduct a scientific and simulation-based study of the two projects together. IISc has submitted a proposal to the authority, including details of the work and its estimated cost. However, the BDA has not yet responded to the proposal or communicated when the study would begin, he said.
Questioning the urgency to proceed with construction without completing the scientific study, he said the BDA should wait for the results before taking a decision on the elevated corridor.