In an attempt to improve traffic flow on the main lanes of Ballari Road leading to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to construct service roads at three locations along the national highway.
At the Hebbal flyover junction, it was announced that a 10m service road will be built for a distance of 1.2 km, extending from the Outer Ring Road (from Tumakuru Road side) to the up-ramp of the highway?s elevated corridor. NHAI also mentioned that a minor bridge will be constructed as part of the project. The area has been identified as a bottleneck during peak hours. It was noted that bus stops near footover bridges are used by hundreds of passengers boarding long-distance inter-state buses. NHAI mentioned that haphazard parking of buses to pick up passengers contributes to slowing down traffic in the area. It was reported that months ago, traffic police attempted to restrict the operations of long-distance buses from that point, but their efforts had no impact.
NHAI has also proposed a six-lane underpass project at Sadahalli gate traffic signal. It was explained that once the 750-metre underpass is completed, the existing traffic signal will be eliminated. NHAI informed that a previous attempt to build an underpass in 2019 had to be halted due to various reasons, including the proposed construction of the Blue Line Metro and objections from local commuters. It was mentioned that the project has now been revived with revised designs, and an overpass will be provided for local motorists to move towards the city side and toll gate side.
Regarding the road near the IAF station, NHAI noted that the absence of a service road has impacted traffic flow heading towards the airport near Yelahanka Air Force Station. It was observed that the low-lying area near Hunasamaranahalli Lake often gets waterlogged during heavy rain, causing inconvenience to motorists. NHAI stated that to address these issues, they are proposing the construction of a service road on either side of the stretch for a length of 1.1 km.
Additionally, recent articles were published on waterlogging affecting suburban and long-distance CR services due to heavy rains in Mumbai. It was reported that over 200 suburban and 15 long-distance train services were disrupted. Both Central Railway and Western Railway were affected by waterlogging, causing delays and cancellations. Commuters faced challenges during the first heavy shower day of the monsoon.
