New flyover eases Silk Board crawl, but creates fresh jam at Bengaluru's Ragigudda

Bengaluru: The HSR Layout-Ragigudda flyover, part of the city's first double-decker viaduct, has brought both relief and frustration for commuters since its recent opening.

The flyover was built to help drivers bypass busy signals such as those at Jayadeva Hospital and Udupi Garden. Built on the same pillars as the metro's Yellow Line, it was designed to save space and cut travel time.

At the inauguration on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and local officials said the model would likely be replicated elsewhere in the city to tackle congestion.

While the flyover bypasses the chaos of Silk Board Junction, commuters find themselves caught in a gridlock the moment they descend. The flyover's exit at Ragigudda leads directly into a traffic signal, causing vehicles to back up onto the elevated structure during peak hours.

Many residents feel the entrance and exit ramps are too narrow to handle the vehicle surge, leading to funnelling issues and accidents.

"What is the point of a world-class double-decker flyover if it ends right at a red light?" questioned Ravikumar S, a commuter. "Engineers seem to have simply shifted the Silk Board traffic jam a few kilometres down the road to JP Nagar. It is basic planning; you do not end a high-speed flyover at a narrow signal."

Some regular commuters say the situation, while not perfect, is an improvement.

"Earlier, we had to wait at every single junction: Kuvempu Nagar, Udupi Garden, Jayadeva and East End. Now, we skip most of those. The wait at Ragigudda is long, but it is still better than the old crawl," said Sunil, a daily commuter.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic, South) Gopal M Byakod said traffic patterns would be monitored over the coming days to check if signal timing adjustments at Ragigudda or additional diversions could ease the bottleneck.

"After the flyover opened, average speeds have increased because vehicles now just zoom past. Vehicle users find it odd to get stuck at the Ragigudda signal. We believe that vehicle users will need time to adjust to the new change. We are monitoring the congestion situation and will tweak plans. We are planning some traffic diversions to minimise congestion," he told DH.