Mangaluru Traffic Chaos May Ease With ₹4 Crore Service Road Expansion
Mangaluru is set to tackle persistent traffic snarls at the busy Pumpwell Junction with a major road widening initiative. The Mangaluru City Corporation has approved a ₹4 crore project to expand the congested service road connecting Pumpwell and Ekkur. With concrete surfacing, a central divider, stormwater drainage, and a dedicated bus bay, the development aims to streamline vehicle movement and provide long-term relief for commuters navigating one of the city’s most heavily trafficked corridors.
The existing service road between Pumpwell and Ekkur has long struggled to accommodate the volume of daily traffic, especially during peak hours when city and intercity buses, auto-rickshaws, and private vehicles converge near the Pumpwell Circle. The 225-metre stretch, slated for widening to 16 metres, will be reinforced with concrete and feature a central divider for improved traffic flow. According to senior officials overseeing the project, a dedicated stormwater drain will be constructed alongside the road to tackle seasonal flooding. In addition, a separate bus bay is being planned to prevent buses from halting on the main road. Currently, vehicles often bottleneck due to lack of designated boarding zones for buses, coupled with roadside vendors and parked autos obstructing smooth transit. With this project, the civic body hopes to significantly reduce travel delays while modernising a key stretch of urban infrastructure critical to Mangaluru’s southbound traffic.
Pumpwell Junction remains one of the city’s most congested points, with commuters frequently reporting bottlenecks due to a combination of poor road design and unregulated transit activity. Vehicles from central Mangaluru, Padil, and Thokkottu all rely on this route, exacerbating the load on the existing narrow service lane. The situation is worsened by the absence of proper bus stops, with passengers forced to wait on the carriageway amid encroachment from vendors and parked vehicles. Officials confirmed that the widened road will not only include a separate lane for buses but will also reserve one portion for seamless vehicular flow. Vacant land belonging to the MCC will be utilised to carry out the project without the need for additional land acquisition. With the tendering process completed, authorities expect work to begin immediately after the monsoon. Once executed, the road expansion is poised to be a transformative upgrade for urban mobility in this zone.
The planned road widening between Pumpwell and Ekkur marks a critical step toward solving Mangaluru’s traffic woes. With ₹4 crore sanctioned, the project is designed to decongest one of the busiest junctions by providing a separate bus lane, better drainage, and a modernised, broader carriageway. Authorities are confident that the initiative will not only improve daily commute times but also enhance road safety and support smoother public transport operations. Once work commences post-monsoon, the redeveloped corridor is expected to significantly reduce long-standing bottlenecks and improve the travel experience for thousands navigating this vital city route.
