Traffic on Bengaluru’s Ballari Road between Hebbal and Mehkri Circle is expected to worsen as work begins on a proposed Rs 725 crore elevated corridor, with the existing six-lane road being reduced to four lanes near the University of Agricultural Sciences in the first phase.
Traffic police expect the initial lane reduction to remain manageable for three to four months. However, congestion is likely to intensify as construction advances towards Sanjay Nagar Cross and Mehkri Circle, according to Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Karthik Reddy, who spoke to Deccan Herald.
“The problem will start later. The pile-up may extend beyond Hebbal flyover, but once commuters cross the University of Agricultural Sciences, traffic is expected to move freely. The major challenge will be between Sanjay Nagar Cross and Mehkri Circle,” Reddy said.
The police expect significant congestion along the stretch within three to six months, depending on the pace of construction. Mehkri Circle is expected to be particularly difficult to manage, with nearly 9,000 vehicles passing through the junction every hour.
The elevated corridor is planned between the University of Agricultural Sciences staff quarters, opposite Veterinary College, and Mehkri Circle. It will have 32 pillars along the route. Construction will also require the dismantling of existing underpasses near the Central Bureau of Investigation office and Sanjay Nagar, further changing how vehicles move through the corridor.
Traffic police have begun installing barricades to study vehicle movement and assess the impact of the work. Construction is expected to begin after the ongoing festive period. Authorities are also preparing additional traffic-management measures, including more personnel, signboards and no-parking restrictions to preserve available road space.
Reddy said staff from the Cobra units would be deployed alongside additional traffic personnel. “We have to work on three or four additional roads apart from those we are currently managing. This will require more police deployment, additional traffic personnel from the Cobra units and signboards,” he said.
The police are also considering restrictions on heavy goods vehicles during the morning, afternoon and evening peak periods. Such vehicles may be allowed to operate during non-peak hours, including at night, although the report did not specify a final schedule for the restrictions.
The traffic impact is expected to extend beyond the immediate construction zone if queues build up towards Hebbal flyover. At the same time, police officials expect movement to remain relatively free after vehicles cross the University of Agricultural Sciences during the initial phase. The severity of disruption will depend on how quickly the construction moves towards Sanjay Nagar Cross and Mehkri Circle.
The next steps are the completion of traffic-flow assessments through the barricades, deployment of additional personnel and the introduction of signboards and parking restrictions before construction progresses along the corridor.
