The 10-lane road is expected to be completed in the next two months.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: After a decade-long wait, the much-anticipated 10-lane arterial road connecting Magadi Road and Mysuru Road via Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) is finally picking up pace.
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has initiated work on the missing link near Machohalli Industrial Area after clearing nearly 200 sheds and structures along a 1-km stretch.
This toll-free, 10.5-km arterial road runs parallel to NICE Road and features a railway underbridge and a 250-meter-long tunnel road near Challaghatta.
Once fully operational, it will connect all nine blocks of Kempegowda Layout, potentially encouraging site allottees to begin home construction.
Though 80 per cent of the project was completed over two years ago, land acquisition hurdles in key areas like Machohalli, Sulikere, Kannahalli, and Challaghatta stalled progress for years.
According to a senior BDA official, the link to Magadi Road is expected to be completed in the next two months.
“After the high court ruled in our favour, we demolished nearly 200 structures in just four days. But the legal battle took almost two years to resolve,” the official said.
Recently, the BDA secured an acre of land near Kannahalli, but challenges remain. The authority is still awaiting the transfer of around four acres of forest land in Sulikere.
At a recent meeting, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre assured that the land would be handed over soon, following pressure from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who stressed that the delay was obstructing the Rs 585-crore project.
Meanwhile, in Challaghatta, the BDA is constructing a railway underbridge to connect with a tunnel road being developed by Namma Metro under the Challaghatta depot.
Houses demolished with approval: Citizens
On Sunday, Yeshwanthpur MLA ST Somashekar made a surprise visit to the site after local residents raised concerns over the demolition of three houses without prior compensation.
He urged land acquisition officers to provide alternative land before further demolitions.
"We anticipate the railway underbridge will take another two to three months to complete," said a BDA engineer. "Around the same time, Namma Metro’s tunnel road should also be ready. Once finished, this stretch will serve as a crucial bypass for vehicles traveling to and from Mysuru."