Bengaluru is set to pursue a combination of elevated roads, tunnels and redesigned junctions to ease traffic congestion between Mekhri Circle and Hebbal, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said after inspecting the elevated-road project site on Monday.
Shivakumar said alternative routes were essential because widening roads by removing buildings would not always be possible. He said the city would use elevated corridors above ground and tunnels below ground wherever necessary to create additional traffic capacity without completely shutting existing routes.
The proposed arrangement includes a separate short tunnel project near Hebbal, designed to prevent congestion from shifting from one junction to another after a particular stretch is improved. According to Shivakumar, traffic emerging from the tunnel would continue through the elevated road, creating a connected route between the two projects.
He clarified that the tunnel and the elevated corridor would remain separate projects and would operate independently, while being linked operationally. The tunnel plan is being considered in view of congestion in the Hebbal area, where traffic improvements at one point can result in bottlenecks further along the corridor.
Shivakumar also said the government had sought land belonging to the Defence Ministry at a location near Mekhri Circle. He has requested the Defence Minister to release the land, which he said could allow a significant redesign of traffic movement in the area.
The proposed junction arrangement would include a rotary circle and ring system around an existing circle. Vehicles turning left and right would be channelled into separate movements, according to the Chief Minister. The plan would also combine surface-level changes with elevated movement above the road and tunnels at locations where they are considered necessary.
The government said construction would not completely stop traffic on the corridor. However, some large vehicles and goods carriers may be temporarily restricted during specified hours while work is under way. Shivakumar said alternative roads were being developed to reduce inconvenience to the public during construction.
The development of these connecting roads is expected to cost about ₹9 crore. The Bengaluru Development Authority has begun preparations to improve roads around the project area, according to the statement.
Shivakumar said he had recently inspected the proposed tunnel alignment from a helicopter. He referred to a large depression near Lalbagh and differences between the location of rock formations and the proposed tunnel exit. Officials have been instructed to prepare an alternative arrangement to avoid construction-related problems in that section.
The announcement places Bengaluru’s traffic strategy around a combination of grade separation, underground construction and junction redesign rather than road widening alone. It also brings land availability, construction-stage traffic management and the coordination of separate projects into the implementation process.
Minister U.T. Khader, Bengaluru Development Authority chairman N.A. Harris and commissioner P. Manivannan were among those present during the inspection. The next steps include securing the required land, finalising the tunnel alignment and developing alternative connecting roads before construction affects traffic movement.
