Karnataka Cabinet clears Rs 2,215 cr project to ease heavy traffic between Bengaluru Mekhri Circle and Hebbal flyover
The construction will be done to "manage local vehicular traffic" on the highly trafficked area through which a large number of vehicles pass for the airport.
Bengaluru: In good news for those living in Bengaluru and its adjoining areas, the Karnataka Government has approved construction of a tunnel road and an elevated corridor between Hebbal flyover and Mekhri Circle. The construction will be done at the total cost of Rs 2,215 crore.
The construction will be done to "manage local vehicular traffic” on the highly trafficked area through which a large number of vehicles pass for the airport. A meeting was held in which the government approved the construction after Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar ordered the construction in May after the same was suggested by civic bodies.
Who will implement the project?
As per reports, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) will implement the project. The authorities have also decided to utilise the land in the Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (GKVK) campus, because of the availability of land near Hebbal Lake.
The project will involve the construction of an underpass in Bellary Road at Mekhri Circle without affecting vehicle movements. It will also include the construction of an underground route in the GKVK campus, along with a road on both sides of Hebbal Lake.
What the cabinet note said?
"In this project, most of the route covers areas falling under the government, and the land acquisition cost is planned to be limited to Rs 25 crore,” the Cabinet was informed. "Noting that the expansion of existing roads is extremely difficult due to the unavailability of land and complications in the land acquisition process, the state government announced its intention to solve the traffic congestion problem in Bengaluru by constructing a tunnel in its budget speech for 2024-25,” a Cabinet note added.
The state cabinet further said that even as the work for widening the road on the section has been decided, the widening of a bridge from Esteem Mall to Hebbal would not be able to completed. The Deputy CM issued instructions "during the site inspection on 24.05.2025 to review the proposal in the long term to permanently reduce the congestion,” the Cabinet note stated further.