The 1.6-km stretch between Hebbal (UAS Staff Quarters) and Mehkri Circle officially transitioned into a heavy traffic zone on Nov 6, 2026, as the construction of 4-lane elevated corridor began
The proposal requires the acquisition of 1.2 acres of defence land, an issue that has been pending for several years. On whether the elevated corridor could be completed within the stipulated 18 months, given BDA’s track record of delays in executing projects, Haris expressed confidence that the deadline will be met.
Haris said efforts are under way to secure the land from defence authorities. Officials said Parachute Regiment Training Centre (PRTC) had agreed to part with its land, while discussions were under way with Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) to secure the remaining land. We are not banning public transport (including BMTC/KSRTC and private buses) or private vehicles on this road, only goods vehicles will be diverted,” he said.
The clarification comes after traffic police faced public fury over announcing traffic restrictions on one of the city’s busiest arterial roads without first ensuring that alternative routes leading to and from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) are ready to absorb extra traffic load. Responding to the concerns, BDA chairperson NA Haris and commissioner P Manivannan, along with joint commissioner (traffic) Karthik Reddy and other police officers, conducted an inspection of the project corridor Saturday. He directed officials and consultants to identify congestion-prone points and implement corrective measures to ensure smoother traffic movement during construction. He also stressed the need for better coordination between construction teams, traffic police and other agencies to minimise inconvenience to commuters. During the inspection, traffic police stressed the need to widen the road near Mehkri Circle to ease the existing bottleneck. Widening the existing road will help improve traffic flow towards both Jayamahal Road and Yeshwantpur. Chief minister D K Shivakumar had also taken up the matter with the defence ministry in the past, seeking its cooperation. “This will be a new road infrastructure facility for Bengaluru, aimed at easing congestion between Esteem Mall and Mehkri Circle. Construction will have an impact on traffic, but measures will be taken to minimise inconvenience to commuters.