Bengaluru Begins ₹4,808cr City Wide Road Overhaul
Bengaluru has launched a sweeping ₹4,808-crore road overhaul aimed at repairing damaged roads, widening critical stretches and easing traffic just in time to avert the familiar hazards of the monsoon season. The initiative, spanning arterial, sub-arterial and neighbourhood roads, signals a significant investment in urban mobility and citizen safety across the city.
The programme targets nearly 1,682 km of city roads. White-topping — a durable alternative to conventional asphalt — has already been completed on 124 km. An additional 157 km is scheduled for white-topping under a ₹1,700-crore allocation. Meanwhile, 392 km of roads are being resurfaced under a ₹694-crore asphalting effort. A further ₹1,241 crore has been earmarked for upgrading ward-level roads, with ₹900 crore drawn from special grants. Officials say all surface-level repairs — asphalting, ward-road upgrades and pothole fixes — are slated for completion by April 2026. White-topping, which involves laying concrete slabs for long-lasting surface quality, will continue until September 2026. This timeline aims to ensure city commuters face minimal disruption and safer travel before and during the monsoon. Recognising the heavy commuter load along the city’s technology corridors, the plan dedicates 78 km of road upgrades to IT-BT stretches funded under a separate ₹273-crore project.
Improvements here include resurfacing, better drainage, clearer lane marking and junction redesign to reduce bottlenecks during peak hours. At the same time, the city’s civic authority reports that over 22,500 potholes have already been repaired. Cold-mix asphalt is being deployed in wet zones to address emergent potholes during the rainy season. As part of a broader effort to unclog chronic traffic chokepoints, the city is also advancing plans for major structural interventions. A proposed package — featuring 13 flyovers over 126.4 km — is estimated to cost ₹18,204 crore. Separately, the state cabinet has approved a ₹2,215-crore tunnel-elevated corridor connecting a major northern junction with a busy traffic circle near a key lake area. This three-lane “short tunnel plus elevated link” design aims to improve access for two-wheelers and autorickshaws — vehicles often excluded from long tunnel designs — thereby addressing mobility needs across demographic groups. Urban-development officials indicate that major firms have already submitted bids to build these large-scale structures, with groundwork expected to begin by early 2026.
City planners emphasise that permanent relief from potholes and gridlock will require more than surface fixes. Long-term sustainability hinges on coordinated planning — integrating underground utilities, storm-water drainage, waste-management systems and future transit infrastructure. Civic authorities note that previous road damage often stemmed from repeated digging by utility agencies and poor water drainage design. For Bengaluru — where technology workers, local businesses, and daily commuters all rely on reliable road infrastructure — this drive marks a crucial investment in equitable urban mobility. With the right execution and maintenance, the upgrade could significantly reduce accidents, travel delays and long-term maintenance costs. As the city embarks on this gargantuan overhaul, the focus on durable materials, traffic-sensitive planning and inclusive access reflects a more mature and sustainable approach to road infrastructure. If followed through with holistic planning and civic coordination, Bengaluru’s road upgrade could become a blueprint for other Indian metropolises striving for safer, more equitable and climate-resilient mobility.
Bengaluru Begins ₹4,808cr City Wide Road Overhaul
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