NHAI Upgrades Two Dangerous Bengaluru Road Junctions to Protect Pedestrians

What Happened

The National Highways Authority of India has completed major road safety upgrades at two dangerous spots along Ballari Road, also known as National Highway 44, in north Bengaluru. The work focuses on the Byatarayanapura and Kodigehalli junctions, where data shows many pedestrians and motorists have lost their lives in past years. Officials built new footpaths, safe crossing zones, and middle islands to protect people walking across the busy highway.

Details and Partners

Official figures from the Bengaluru Traffic Police Road Safety Report covering 2019 to 2023 show that Byatarayanapura recorded 11 deaths, while Kodigehalli saw six fatalities. Pedestrians made up about 30 percent of these victims. To fix this, the NHAI built 133 metres of safe pedestrian crossings and 240 square metres of refuge areas along highway dividers and service roads. Workers also laid 1,600 square metres of brand-new footpaths. Aside from pedestrian paths, crews installed speed-calming measures, clear road markings, reflective studs, and safety signs to help drivers see better and slow down. Several groups worked together on the project. The Bengaluru Traffic Police, Greater Bengaluru Authority, and Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited joined hands with the NHAI. Technical experts from WRI India provided support under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety and Compartment S4.

Context

Across Karnataka, state data shows that National Highways saw 4,278 deaths in the year 2024 alone. Bengaluru city recorded 793 total road deaths in that same period, with 140 of those happening on national highway stretches within city limits. Busy urban highways often see high pedestrian traffic mixed with fast-moving vehicle lanes, making targeted engineering fixes necessary to lower accident rates.