Bengaluru Begins Major Road Construction Project Near Hebbal Which Will Restrict Traffic for Months

What Happened

Construction work on a new four-lane elevated highway stretch between the university staff quarters and Mehkri Circle begins on November 6, which marks the start of an 18-month disruption for commuters heading toward the airport. The project costs ₹2,215 crore and aims to clear up severe vehicle congestion around the Hebbal junction. The overall plan features a six-lane underground passageway built using a cut-and-cover method between the junction and the veterinary college, along with a rotary flyover at Mehkri Circle. Legal pushback has already slowed parts of the work, as the National Green Tribunal has put a freeze on cutting down trees until it makes a final decision on pending petitions.

Traffic Restrictions

Because heavy machinery and civil work are taking over Ballari Road, authorities have completely banned goods trucks of all sizes—ranging from light to heavy carriers—along with state transport and private passenger buses. Regular commuters and even people in emergency vehicles must find alternate paths to bypass the construction zone. Traffic moving from the city toward the airport must divert through multiple interior roads including Old High Grounds Junction, Canteen Road, and Nagawara Road. Drivers coming from Yeshwantpur need to turn right at BEL Circle, take Mathikere Road, and move via the Ring Road. Meanwhile, traffic heading into the city from the airport must turn left or right onto the Outer Ring Road at Hebbal depending on where they want to go.

Context

Major urban infrastructure projects in growing Indian metropolitan areas frequently run into legal hurdles regarding environmental protection and tree preservation. Traffic authorities typically issue strict diversion plans and heavy vehicle bans to prevent complete gridlock while major arterial roads undergo structural rebuilding.