Traffic conditions on Bengaluru’s State Highway 35 have improved around Varthur, Gunjur and nearby areas after renewed efforts to reduce roadwork delays, but the gains will be tested when schools reopen after the Dussehra holidays.
Nooraine Fazal, founding managing trustee and CEO of Inventure Academy, said 58 of the school’s 62 buses reached the campus before 7.30 am on Wednesday, October 14. On October 9, only 38 buses had arrived before that time. No bus has been more than 15 minutes late since Monday, while the average arrival was recorded at 6.9 minutes early.
The improvement was also visible in the evening. According to Fazal, 60 of 61 routes completed their journeys on schedule. Average journey time fell to 55 minutes from 74 minutes on September 23, while average speed increased to 19 kmph from 14.2 kmph.
“Things have started getting better. However, many schools are on Dussehra holidays this week, which may be easing traffic. We will have to see whether the improvement continues after schools reopen,” Fazal said.
The latest figures indicate a short-term improvement but do not show that congestion has been resolved across the corridor. Traffic remained slow near Marathahalli Bridge, Panathur Road, Kadubisanahalli and Hosur Road. Route R53 to Attibele took two hours and 30 minutes on Wednesday, arriving 30 minutes late. The route had taken about 80 minutes the previous week. Fazal said the school was investigating the recurring delay.
Traffic police have deployed personnel at Dommasandra crossing, while preparatory repair work has begun on the Dommasandra–TC Halli stretch. Levelling work has also started near Oakridge. Heavy vehicles face restrictions in some areas, although non-compliance by drivers continues to add to delays.
The disruption is linked to wider construction and coordination problems along the Varthur–Gunjur stretch. The proposed elevated corridor is part of the East Airport Corridor, but its progress has faced land acquisition, compensation and contractor-related delays. Following traffic jams that stranded schoolchildren, Mahadevapura MLA Manjula Aravind Limbavali and Mahadevapura Task Force chairman Aravind Limbavali mobilised three contractors to resume work.
The task force said it was coordinating with civic agencies to shift utilities and improve SH-35. The MLA has also requested that the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited blacklist the existing contractor. The next clear measure of progress will come after schools resume and regular peak-hour traffic returns to the corridor.
