Bengaluru traffic police temporarily halt BMRCL’s Bannerghatta Road partial closure proposal over notification issue

Bengaluru Traffic Police halts BMRCL's plan to close Bannerghatta Road for metro construction, awaiting official notification.

The Bengaluru Traffic Police have put on hold the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (BMRCL) proposal to partially close Bannerghatta Road near the Lakkasandra underground station for a year to facilitate metro construction activities.

On Saturday, March 30, BMRCL announced that north-bound traffic on Bannerghatta Main Road, from the MICO signal to the Anepalya junction, will be closed for a year starting April 1 to facilitate the construction of the station’s south side entry structure.

However, the Bengaluru traffic police did not allow the closure of the road on Monday, April 1, as the official notification from the traffic police had not been issued. Adugodi Traffic police officials told The Hindu that despite BMRCL’s announcement of the road closure, it cannot proceed until an official notification is issued, particularly considering the proposed closure’s duration of one year.

“We have completed all the necessary arrangements to manage traffic along the stretch, including organising alternative routes. Once the notification is issued, we will proceed with closing the stretch as per BMRCL’s request. The partial road closure could potentially happen within the next two to three days,” a traffic police official added.

According to the earlier media statement by BMRCL, traffic moving on Bannerghatta Road towards Anepalya junction will have to take a right turn at the MICO signal to reach the Adugodi signal via the BOSCH link road and then take a left. There is no diversion for the traffic moving towards Dairy Circle from the Anepalya junction. Traffic from Dairy Circle towards Shantinagar is to take a left at the 7th Main Road of Wilson Garden.

According to BMRCL officials, construction is currently in progress for the underground metro station on the Pink Line. This segment is part of Phase 2 of the project, known as Reach 6, extending from Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara, covering a total distance of 21.26 km and comprising 18 stations. Reach 6 includes an elevated section spanning 7.50 km with six stations from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere, as well as an underground section spanning 13.76 km with 12 stations from Diary Circle to Nagavara. BMRCL anticipates the Pink Line to commence operations in 2025.