Hebbal flyover’s new ramp to open only by May, but might not provide expected relief 

Hebbal flyover loop nearing completion, expected to open in May, but may not solve traffic congestion issues.

The work on the additional loop of the Hebbal flyover, which provides extra carriageway to vehicles coming from K.R. Puram towards Mehkri Circle and central parts of Bengaluru, is nearing the finish line and is expected to be open for traffic by the first or second week of May. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will be missing yet another deadline of April 30 for the completion of the project. 

The work has led to commuters getting stuck for long periods of time even during non-peak hours on the flyover that is notorious for its traffic snarls.  

“This is a weekday afternoon, and it took me around 15–20 minutes to cross the Hebbal flyover. I am coming from Byatarayanapura and have to go towards Mehkri Circle and hence I took the loop of the flyover. The work on the flyover seems never ending and due to all the construction material and dust piling up on the sides of the flyover, it has become a horrible experience to get to the other side,” said Navaneeth Iyer, a private employee who was riding on the Hebbal flyover. 

“We have to install two to three slabs under railway supervision. That is the only work left. We are confident of opening the extra ramp in May,” said Jayaram, Commissioner, BDA. 

However, even when the loop is thrown open to the traffic, it does not exactly provide a solution to the traffic bottleneck that forms where the airport traffic joins the Hebbal flyover near Esteem Mall. While the BDA’s original plan was to add the additional ramp from Esteem Mall to Baptist Hospital, it was modified earlier this year to the current plan to avoid further traffic problems in the area.  

“We had some kind of hope that the additional ramp would provide more lanes for the traffic coming from airport and Yelahanka side. But now, the extra lanes will only benefit the IT crowd coming from Outer Ring Road (ORR) and not the commuters from the other side,” lamented Guruprasad, an auto rickshaw driver who regularly travels through Hebbal. 

The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) officials said that while the additional ramp might not provide a solution to the traffic bottleneck, it will at least lessen the load on the congested lanes a little.