<p>Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has placed temporary barricades and shut down the service road near Venkatam Café on a trial basis to assess traffic flow before granting permission to the BMRCL to begin metro construction work.</p><p>The Hebbal Traffic Police Station announced the move in a social media post, stating: “Service Road near Venkatam Cafe is closed due to ongoing BMRCL work. Commuters are requested to cooperate.”</p><p>The service road in question connects the Outer Ring Road and runs from Hebbal Junction to Nagavara. The ongoing work is part of Phase 2(b) of the BMRCL’s metro rail development.</p>.Bengaluru deserves better.<p>“We have put up temporary barricades and closed the service road on this stretch to assess the traffic flow before we give permission for the metro work to start. This will help us understand whether the road can remain closed or if an alternative route needs to be identified once the metro construction begins,” MN Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), told DH.</p><p>Commuters have raised concerns about growing congestion and pedestrian safety due to the road closure.</p><p>Ayatulla, a resident of Nagavara, said the area lacks safe pedestrian pathways.</p><p>“Children and the elderly have to take a risk every time they cross the road because of heavy traffic. Even the police seem stuck in this situation. We asked the authorities to build an underground walkway, but our requests fell on deaf ears. A fatal accident recently occurred when a pedestrian was crossing the road. And if we want to protest, we have to go all the way to Freedom Park. Why can’t we raise our voices in our own area? Will we be heard there?” he questioned.</p><p>He also noted that travel time has increased significantly due to the ongoing metro work. “What used to take 30 minutes now takes 45 to 50 minutes,” he added.</p><p>Traffic congestion in the area is worsened by three simultaneous infrastructure projects: KPTCL laying a new 66 kV underground cable between the HBR 220 kV station and the Pottery Road 66 kV station, NHAI widening the service road from the Hebbal down ramp to Kodigehalli, and the BDA ramp construction.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has placed temporary barricades and shut down the service road near Venkatam Café on a trial basis to assess traffic flow before granting permission to the BMRCL to begin metro construction work.</p><p>The Hebbal Traffic Police Station announced the move in a social media post, stating: “Service Road near Venkatam Cafe is closed due to ongoing BMRCL work. Commuters are requested to cooperate.”</p><p>The service road in question connects the Outer Ring Road and runs from Hebbal Junction to Nagavara. The ongoing work is part of Phase 2(b) of the BMRCL’s metro rail development.</p>.Bengaluru deserves better.<p>“We have put up temporary barricades and closed the service road on this stretch to assess the traffic flow before we give permission for the metro work to start. This will help us understand whether the road can remain closed or if an alternative route needs to be identified once the metro construction begins,” MN Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), told DH.</p><p>Commuters have raised concerns about growing congestion and pedestrian safety due to the road closure.</p><p>Ayatulla, a resident of Nagavara, said the area lacks safe pedestrian pathways.</p><p>“Children and the elderly have to take a risk every time they cross the road because of heavy traffic. Even the police seem stuck in this situation. We asked the authorities to build an underground walkway, but our requests fell on deaf ears. A fatal accident recently occurred when a pedestrian was crossing the road. And if we want to protest, we have to go all the way to Freedom Park. Why can’t we raise our voices in our own area? Will we be heard there?” he questioned.</p><p>He also noted that travel time has increased significantly due to the ongoing metro work. “What used to take 30 minutes now takes 45 to 50 minutes,” he added.</p><p>Traffic congestion in the area is worsened by three simultaneous infrastructure projects: KPTCL laying a new 66 kV underground cable between the HBR 220 kV station and the Pottery Road 66 kV station, NHAI widening the service road from the Hebbal down ramp to Kodigehalli, and the BDA ramp construction.</p>