A file photo of the service road construction near the Esteem Mall in Hebbal.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: In preparation for the festive rush this weekend, the new service road after Hebbal flyover, at Jakkur towards Yelahanka, is set to be operational from Friday afternoon.
Speaking to DH about the preparations in check to prevent traffic congestion in and around the Hebbal flyover during the festive season, Jayaprakash, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic North) said, “We’re anticipating an increase in traffic from Friday evening onwards. To ensure there is no congestion, we’ve taken two measures — we’re barricading the single track that comes from the veterinary college and moving buses there, and buses from the down ramp will be moved to the new service road.”
The officer remained optimistic that the opening of the new service road would help reduce congestion on the busy airport route. The new stretch is about 10 metres wide, with a 2.5-metre utility duct, and a 1.5-km drain, as DH reported earlier.
“We’re in touch with both KSRTC and private bus operators to get details about the number of buses they’re adding to their fleet to meet the festive rush. We’ll plan accordingly,” added Jayaprakash.
Commuters who frequent the Hebbal flyover stated that while the congestion along the flyover and the highway has remained the same the same the past few weeks, it is the arterial and service roads that remain the most affected.
Travel advisory at airport
The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) issued a passenger advisory on October 15, in preparation for the festive season as Deepavali approaches. “Passengers are encouraged to arrive early to allow sufficient time for travel formalities,” it said.
While some commuters complained about longer queues at the airport over the past two days, a source at the KIA said average daily passenger count had remained unchanged. “So far, our daily passenger count has remained around 1.20 lakh. There has been a minimal increase in numbers by about 1,000. There might be an increase over the weekend. People might see longer queues due to an increase in the number of DigiYatra users. However, these lines move quickly, and the wait time is only about 2-3 minutes,” shared the source.