The new two-lane loop (left) allows vehicles from Yelahanka, Jakkur and the airport to head directly towards Mehkri Circle.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: For thousands of vehicle users who have long considered the Hebbal flyover a notorious bottleneck, the last four days have brought an unexpected New Year gift.
Following the opening of the second newly-constructed loop on a trial basis on December 20, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and traffic police report a 25% reduction in peak-hour congestion.
The new two-lane loop, which allows vehicles from Yelahanka, Jakkur and the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to bypass the main flyover bottleneck and head directly toward Mehkri Circle, has altered the junction’s chaotic merging patterns.
Commuters relieved
“It used to take me 45 minutes just to cross the 1-km stretch from Esteem Mall to the flyover’s descent,” Ramesh K, a techie and daily commuter, told DH. “This morning, I zipped through in under five minutes.”
Residents say the opening of this loop, coupled with the Nagawara-to-Mehkri ramp commissioned in August, has finally addressed the structural bottleneck where seven lanes used to converge into two.
Perhaps the biggest beneficiaries are the city’s cab drivers, for whom Hebbal has been a nightmare of traffic.
The trial phase
“Earlier, if I had an airport drop followed by a city pickup, I would lose nearly an hour at this junction alone,” cab drivers say. “Now, the flow is continuous. We don’t have to wait for the traffic police to manually signal us to merge with the airport traffic. It’s a straight run.”
Jayaprakash, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic, North), noted that while the initial data is promising, the trial will continue through the New Year.
“It’s just been four days and we are already seeing a 25% drop in congestion. However, we need another week of observation to see how the traffic redistributes, especially at Mehkri Circle,” he said.
Despite the success, experts warn of a “bottleneck shift.”
While Hebbal has cleared up, the tail-back at Mehkri Circle has reportedly increased, with traffic sometimes reaching Baptist Hospital. The BDA is currently eyeing a free-left turn at Mehkri Circle to further ease the pressure.