Widening Hebbal flyover stalled again due to polls

Widening of the Hebbal flyover has been put off yet again due to the Assembly elections, which, BDA officials admit, would adversely impact traffic to the airport.

The Bangalore Development Authority originally planned to begin the work in October 2017 and finish it by January 2019. It was to put two additional lanes to the existing flyover from Esteem Mall towards the city without dismantling the loops towards KR Puram and the city.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Bengaluru Development Minister K J George laid the foundation stone in May 2016 to dismantle part of the flyover and refurbish it. But the idea was shelved soon.

A senior BDA official, on condition of anonymity, told DH that the piling work, which began in January with the target of completion by April second week, is only 12 to 15% over.

Construction projects are delayed since the BDA officials are assigned to election duties, including rebuilding commercial complexes, which is still in the planning stage, said the official.

He said the delay did not escalate the estimated cost, which would be Rs 80 crore, and Rs 50 crore of the funds would be spent to build two lanes, while a further Rs 50 crore would be spent on building the underpasses.

But BDA and traffic experts point to the passenger car per unit (PCU), which has jumped from 30,000 in 2016 to 55,000. “This would increase in the coming years due to the spike in airport traffic. So, people have to start early for the airport until the construction work is completed,” the official said.

Residents in the adjoining areas of Sahakar Nagar, Kodigehalli, Hebbal and Jakkur blame the lack of adequate planning by the government for the existing traffic woes.

“It takes me more than an hour to reach my workplace, which is just eight km away. The delay... is making things worse,” said Vaishali R, a resident of Kodigehalli.