Bangalore's Hebbal flyover set to go wider

Here’s some good news for Bangaloreans. The busy Hebbal flyover that connects the Bengaluru International Airport to rest of the city will soon become six-lane wide, thus giving respite to the beleaguered traffic in the area. This is not all. The entire stretch of the road leading to the airport will be signal-free, thus enduring smooth traffic movement.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is handing over the Hebbal flyover to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for making it six-lane wide. Furthermore, NHAI is also preparing a detailed project report on making NH-7, from Hebbal flyover to international airport, eight-lane wide and signal-free.

BDA engineer R Sreenivasa said that they had discussed the issue with the officials of NHAI and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and government orders have also been issued. The BDA will clear the debris below the flyover and landscape the area at a cost of Rs1.9 crore, before handing it over to the NHAI for the widening work. Of the 5.6 km flyover, the NHAI aims to add piers on a kilometre stretch to make it six lane.

The BDA had constructed the flyover in coordination with the NHAI. The agency aims to develop 9.6 acresbelow the flyover and hand it over. A statue of Kempegowda will also be installed here.
BDA engineers point that the passenger car units (pcu) was 12,364 vehicles during peak hours in 2009 which is likely to increase to 13,291 in 2010.

BBMP chief engineer (major roads) Chikkarayappa said, the road till Hebbal belongs to the Palike and it will be handed over to improve upon the existing infrastructure. Furthermore, NHAI is also conducting surveys to construct flyovers at five junctions on the highway towards airport, to make it signal free. This will ensure seamless connectivity, NHAI manager, technical, Ravi Sudhakar told DNA. The project for widening the flyover, widening the highway till airport and constructing flyovers is estimated around Rs600 crore. It will be taken up on a public private partnership (PPP) model.

Experts point out that there is a need to undertake this project as the vehicular movement is rapidly increasing. Advisor to the government of Karnataka for traffic, transportation and infrastructure, MN Sreehari said that once road is widened, traffic will increase and thus lead to road congestion. He felt that as compared to BBMP and BDA, the NHAI has better expertise and knowledge it was a good idea to assign them this task.