Inauguration of a flyover at Hebbal Junction in Bengaluru on Monday.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Hours after the Hebbal flyover loop was thrown open to the public on Monday morning, the Bengaluru Traffic Police claimed the new road infrastructure has already resulted in a 25-30% drop in traffic congestion at the busy intersection.
The much-awaited flyover loop was inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar at 11 am.
A 700 metre ramp, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 80 cr, now connects to the previously constructed loop and provides a direct connection between Nagawara, KR Puram and Mekhri Circle.
"The congestion on the flyover has seen a marked decrease of around 25 to 30%. The main carriageway has also shown some improvement, thanks to the loop now being fully functional. Earlier, we'd adopt a 'gating' mechanism, where we would only allow commuters on the main carriageway or the loop pass at a time. This method had, at times, led to congestion. Now, with commuters from the Nagawara side passing by smoothly, buses on the main carriageway can move freely, which has reduced congestion," Karthik Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), told DH.
At least 5 lakh vehicles pass through the Hebbal flyover every day. This includes about 50,000 vehicles every hour during evening peak hour. On an average, regular commuters spend an average of 50 minutes at the busy junction. But now, the waiting time could be reduced by at least 10 to 15 minutes.
However, when DH visited the spot on Monday noon, the main carriageway of the flyover, with traffic streaming in from Mekhri Circle towards the Kempegowda International Airport, remained jam-packed.