BENGALURU: The traffic congestion experienced on Old Airport Road is set to have a major relief within nine months as underpass work at the HAL Circle has started. The underpass is being installed to ensure a signal-free corridor between Hope Farm Junction at Whitefield and Vellara Junction on Richmond Road.
A study by BBMP in connection with the project at this junction between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Suranjan Das Road revealed that 16,000 passenger car units use this stretch every hour during peak morning and evening time.
A senior BBMP official said, “Work on the Rs 19-crore underpass project is presently being undertaken by contractor RNS Infrastructure Limited. Two ramps are being constructed, one running to 85 metres and another to 135 metres.”
In addition to that, a box structure running to 50 metres is also being put in place. Those moving from Marthahalli Road towards the city and vice versa will directly benefit from it as soon as it is ready. Indirect beneficiaries will be those travelling from Suranjan Das Road in either of the directions, another official explained.
Asked about the reason in delay in taking up work though the project was planned a few years ago, the official said that HAL had delayed in handing over the required land to BBMP.
Over a year ago, an agreement to transfer 3,100 square metres of HAL land to the civic agency was inked. Ruling out any delay on its part, HAL said that after the agreement was signed in July 2018, it needed clarity on issues like how the traffic would be affected due to the work to be taken up and the overall layout.
“We put up the case for internal approval and gave clearance in September within two months of signing the MoU,” said Gopal Sutar, spokesperson of HAL. “We are happy to have handed over the large chunk of land for an infrastructure project for the greater benefit of citizens,” he said.