Bengaluru’s Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has directed officials to speed up pending road and infrastructure works between the Henur–Bagalur Main Road junction and Gedalahalli, while prioritising pedestrian safety, drainage and traffic management during construction.
The minister issued the directions during an inspection of ongoing road and infrastructure works on the corridor. He told officials that road improvements must make vehicle movement smoother without compromising the safety of pedestrians. Construction sites must also be managed so that residents, pedestrians and motorists face as little disruption as possible, according to the report by Prajavani.
Officials were instructed to ensure that rainwater drains away effectively along the road and to prepare a plan for widening footpaths. Damaged footpath slabs are to be repaired so that pedestrians can move without obstruction. Gowda also directed authorities to coordinate road and footpath works rather than treating them as separate projects.
The instructions come as the Henur–Bagalur Main Road experiences increasing traffic at several junctions. The route serves as an alternative connection to Kempegowda International Airport, making congestion at its major intersections an operational concern for both daily commuters and airport-bound traffic.
During the inspection, KR Puram MLA Byrathi Basavaraj reportedly pointed to the growth of multi-storey buildings and the resulting slowdown in traffic. In response, Gowda said the Greater Bengaluru Authority would examine the feasibility of elevated corridors or shorter flyovers at important junctions to enable signal-free movement.
Gowda also said an earlier traffic-data-based survey had concluded that constructing a flyover was not feasible at the locations examined. He assured the MLA that a fresh survey would be conducted. The report does not specify the junctions to be studied, the length or design of any possible elevated corridor, or a timeline for the new survey.
The minister further directed officials to identify alternative routes and establish suitable traffic arrangements wherever road works could obstruct vehicle movement. He said road widening, design requirements and related infrastructure should be considered together when undertaking white-topping projects.
The directions also cover coordination between departments. Officials were told to prevent repeated excavation and reconstruction caused by uncoordinated works by different agencies, while maintaining construction quality and completing projects according to the approved plan.
The inspection was attended by KR Puram MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, Greater Bengaluru Authority Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao, Bengaluru East City Corporation Commissioner D.S. Ramesh and Additional Commissioner Lokhande Snehal Sudhakar. The next reported step is a fresh assessment of traffic conditions and the feasibility of elevated or shorter flyover structures along the Henur–Bagalur corridor.
