Five years on, Hoskerehalli overpass to open by weekend, trials begin

The Hosakerehalli Flyover, part of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) in southwestern Bengaluru, finally opened for a preliminary trial run on Tuesday, five years after construction began.

Commercial shops and establishments along the 400-metre stretch heaved a sigh of relief, not because traffic has eased, but because they are finally freed from the chaos that plagued the area for half a decade. As the project dragged on, service lanes on either side bore the brunt, with all vehicles diverted onto these narrow roads. This caused daily problems for businesses along the way. Now, with traffic moving over the flyover, the burden on these lanes will reduce, offering some respite from relentless honking and pollution.

The 400-metre project, which began in August 2020 at a cost of ₹30 crore, and is often dubbed the ‘brother’ of the Ejipura Flyover, was originally scheduled for completion in 2022. However, it soon became mired in legal and political entanglements, according to civic officials.

The actual reason for the delay remains shrouded in mystery.

Purpose and problems

The project aimed to expand road capacity at this particular choke point to accommodate more vehicles. Automobiles taking a right at Goraguntepalya from Tumakuru Road in northern Bengaluru can travel signal-free along the ORR up to Ittamadu Junction in the south. Vehicles from Mysuru Road heading toward South Bengaluru and beyond also use this route. Thus, the stretch serves as a crucial link for commuters from the city’s north and west heading southward.

“With commuters from two major stretches converging at this junction, where an educational institution is also located, major disruptions were common. To handle the increasing traffic, this flyover became necessary,” explained a police officer from the Banashankari Police Station.

Big jump in road users

However, commuters argued that over the past five years, the number of vehicles using the stretch has increased significantly, undermining the flyover’s original purpose.

“Now, instead of easing traffic here, the bottleneck will shift to the Ittamadu Junction, where there’s another flyover. After that, vehicles will again face a signal, and congestion will begin there,” said Prasanna Bhat, a regular commuter.

Gopal M. Byakod, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), South, however, believed the new stretch would bring some relief. “The Kere Kodi Road is a major stretch, and earlier, vehicles towards Ittamadu had to move far ahead to take a U-turn to access it. Now, with the new underpass, crisscrossing on the ORR will reduce, easing traffic to an extent,” he told The Hindu.

Opening

According to a civic official, all major works have been completed, except for road markings and signage, which are expected to be finished within the next three days. If all goes as planned, the short flyover would be officially inaugurated this weekend.

However, ongoing white-topping work on 80 Feet Road means commuters would still face delays for a few more months along this part of the ORR up to the Ittamadu Junction.