New traffic plan to ease Hebbal gridlock

Hebbal Junction, one of the major bottlenecks in Bengaluru, is set to see major changes in traffic management.

On Wednesday, the traffic police announced several changes to vehicular movement in an effort to decongest the notorious intersection.

The changes were launched a week ago on a trial basis and the traffic police found them to be effective. They will be introduced on a regular basis starting 6 am, Friday.

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The biggest change is with respect to vehicles heading towards the city from Yelahanka, Jakkur, Kodigehalli, Kempapura and the surrounding areas. They can no longer move on the main road near Manipal Hospitals and Esteem Mall because the crossover points at these two places are closed.

Instead, vehicles have to take the service road that runs parallel to the flyover, turn left at Hebbal Junction towards KR Puram and move onto the loop to travel towards the city.

The same will apply to vehicles heading towards KR Puram, BEL Road and Tumakuru Road.

Oncoming vehicles from the Airport Road flyover (expressway) can directly go to the Hebbal flyover to travel onwards to the city.

Vehicles coming from the airport, Devanahalli, Chikkajala and the surrounding places and heading towards Kempapura and the surrounding areas should take the service road near Vidyashilp Academy in Yelahanka and then take the left turn near Esteem Mall.

But if they go till the end of the flyover towards the city, they cannot take the left turn because the crossover point to the service road is blocked.

Buses coming from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana cannot halt at the bus stand near Esteem Mall. They will instead stop at the bus bay at Hebbal Junction on the road towards KR Puram.

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Traffic police chief B R Ravikanthe Gowda said 3.76 lakh vehicles from four directions pass through Hebbal Junction every day.

From Yelahanka and surrounding areas, 53,498 vehicles go towards the city, 42,980 towards KR Puram and 23,644 towards Tumakuru Road. Since this was causing a lot of congestion, police, BBMP, BMRCL, NHAI and traffic experts commissioned a study. The changes are based on the findings.

Gowda hoped the changes would help about 90 per cent of vehicle users while the remaining 10 per cent, especially people living in Kempapura, Amruthanagar and surrounding areas, might face some problems. He cautioned that the changes may initially seem confusing, as was the case during the trial, but there will be enough signboards and traffic cops to help.