In a pivotal infrastructure push aimed at resolving one of Bengaluru’s last major airport corridor bottlenecks, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has revived plans to construct an underpass at Sadahalli Gate on the Ballari Road.
After a decade-long hiatus, this move promises to significantly enhance connectivity to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), amid a sharp rise in urbanisation and industrial activity in the city’s northern periphery.
The proposed 800-metre-long underpass, expected to cost ₹40 crore, will eliminate the final traffic signal on the arterial road leading to the airport. The project had remained stalled since its original proposal in the early 2010s, derailed by public opposition, flawed alignments, and design conflicts with the planned Blue Line metro corridor.However, with revised approvals now in place, NHAI is preparing to float tenders to commence construction.
The plan envisages signal-free access for airport-bound vehicles, streamlining traffic from the city centre to KIA, while allowing motorists from adjacent localities to continue using an at-grade road for regional travel.This long-anticipated intervention dovetails with the rapid transformation of north Bengaluru. The area surrounding Devanahalli, buoyed by airport-led economic momentum, is witnessing a surge in industrial projects, commercial investments, and real estate development. With congestion at Sadahalli Gate long seen as a strategic hurdle, the underpass is expected to be a catalyst in unlocking seamless connectivity and supporting sustainable urban expansion.
Sources involved in the project indicate that after the underpass becomes operational, there will be no traffic signals from Windsor Manor junction on Sankey Road all the way to the airport. Though minor chokepoints may still occur near Hebbal junction and Cauvery Theatre, the addition of new ramps and upgraded roads are likely to ease movement in the months ahead.In tandem, NHAI is advancing parallel improvements across the airport corridor. This includes the much-needed service road continuity near Jakkur, especially in front of the Government Flying Training School. With ₹6 crore earmarked for the work, the new service road will run below the metro viaduct, ensuring connectivity for local traffic between Yelahanka and Jakkur.
Efforts are also underway to enhance the stretch near the Yelahanka Air Force Station, where a second phase of service road development is pending defence clearance. Meanwhile, the ongoing road-widening works around Hebbal Lake, which serve as a key feeder to the airport corridor, are expected to be completed within the next month.Urban mobility experts have hailed the revival of the Sadahalli underpass as a much-needed corrective to a decade of policy paralysis. As airport traffic volumes surge and satellite towns like Devanahalli evolve into economic nodes, transport infrastructure must keep pace, not only to support growth but also to ensure sustainability and liveability.y removing critical bottlenecks, minimising vehicular idling, and boosting fuel efficiency, these developments align with broader goals of decarbonising city logistics and promoting eco-sensitive urban planning. The challenge now lies in timely execution, minimal disruption during construction, and ensuring that the long-term benefits of infrastructure investments are equitably distributed.
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