Traffic re-routing near Hebbal flyover a relief for commuters?

A minor traffic change has relieved commuters from the usual gridlocks around the Hebbal flyover, although many are unsure if it would be effective in the long run.

Authorities banned vehicles entering the city from Yelahanka, Jakkur, Kodigehalli and Kempapura from using the main road near Esteem Mall close to the Hebbal flyover by shutting the crossover points.

Instead, vehicles must take the service road, turn left at Hebbal junction towards KR Puram and climb onto the loop to head towards the city.

While motorists coming from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) found the road less congested, those entering from Yelahanka and surrounding areas find no difference in the service road they take after the Kodigehalli junction passing through Manipal Hospitals (erstwhile Columbia Asia) and Esteem Mall remain congested.

City Police Commissioner C H Pratap Reddy stopped for a while to inspect the traffic. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) B R Ravikanthe Gowda also assessed the traffic movement first-hand.

Traffic police and motorists wanted to give at least a week to say if this experiment has succeeded. "Sometimes, traffic will be less on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The traffic regularises from Monday to Thursday, so we will have to wait till then to have the exact result," a police officer said.

This DH reporter rode from Yelahanka to the city via the Hebbal flyover around 10.30 am. About half the stretch of the main road from the expressway to the Hebbal flyover was free, which is usually during long weekends. Motorists from Yelahanka progressively felt the slowing down of the traffic along the congested service road and then climb onto the flyover, where traffic was bumper-to-bumper.

A traffic policeman from Hebbal told DH that he didn't find the usual traffic on Friday. "I can't tell yet if the changes are going to help. It will take a week to assess the situation," he said.

Sripadamurthy, a two-wheeler rider, said earlier he had a choice between the main road or service road and he could take whichever was free. Shutting off the option to cross the main road has left him with taking the congested service road.

Manjunath, a four-wheeler driver from Chikkajala, avoided the whole stretch fearing a traffic jam. “I had to visit Kempapura,” he said. “I read about the changes in the newspaper and took the road below the expressway in Yelahanka and reached Kempapura.”

Manjunath said he did not have any problems except for waiting at signals in Byatarayanapura and Kodigehalli.

JCP (Traffic) Ravikanthe Gowda said the results had been positive. “Even if motorists save five or 10 minutes, it’ll be a success,” he said, adding that the Bangalore Traffic Police has deputed an independent traffic consultant at the spot to assess the traffic situation for the next 15 days.

“We will take a report from the consultant and decide on further measures,” the officer said.