Bengaluru white-topping work has resumed on the remaining side of Dr Rajkumar Road in Rajajinagar, prompting traffic restrictions and diversions between Navrang Circle and Rajarajeshwari Kalyana Mantapa. Heavy vehicles, including buses and lorries, have been barred from part of the corridor while the first phase of the project is carried out.
The ongoing work covers a 1.8-kilometre stretch that will be completed in five phases. The first phase has begun between Navrang Circle and Rajarajeshwari Kalyana Mantapa, near the Rajajinagar police station. Traffic on half of the road has been completely closed in the work zone.
Two-wheelers, autorickshaws and cars travelling from the Rajajinagar Entrance side towards Rajarajeshwari Kalyana Mantapa are allowed to use the route. However, buses, lorries and other heavy vehicles are not permitted on this side. The stretch between Navrang Circle and Rajajinagar Entrance has also been made one-way, with vehicles from the opposite direction restricted from entering.
Traffic police have advised Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses to travel through West of Chord Road towards Soap Factory Circle. The diversion is intended to keep buses away from the section where the concrete road work is under way.
The remaining work has been divided into five sections. The second phase will cover the stretch from Rajarajeshwari Kalyana Mantapa to the TVS showroom. The third will run from the TVS showroom to Navrang Bar Circle. The fourth phase will cover Navrang Circle to Old RTO Circle, while the fifth will extend from Old RTO Circle to Rajajinagar Entrance.
The white-topping work on one side of Dr Rajkumar Road is nearly complete. Local MLA S Suresh Kumar said the work in his constituency was expected to begin in the first week of August but started two months late. He said the project was being executed in five phases to reduce inconvenience to residents and traders and was expected to be completed by March.
Dr Rajkumar Road is a major route connecting Bengaluru with several districts and carries heavy traffic through the day. The latest restrictions are therefore likely to affect daily commuters, public transport operations and commercial activity along the Rajajinagar corridor. The phased approach is intended to keep some traffic moving while construction progresses on separate sections.
Residents have urged the authorities to complete the work within the announced timeline. They said finishing the earlier side of the road had taken nearly two years and that excavation, traffic restrictions and the resulting disorder had caused prolonged difficulties for local residents and motorists. They have also called for construction to be managed in a way that limits disruption to the public.
