Commuters on Outer Ring Road (ORR) can have a smooth ride from the Central Silk Board junction to Hebbal with the Hennur underpass being thrown open to public on a trial basis in both directions.
The project, built at a cost of Rs 74.06 crore, will reduce traffic snarls at the Hennur junction and Manyata Tech Park. But there could still be some traffic hold-ups on the ORR as a flyover connecting Lingarajpuram and Hennur is yet to be completed and Nagavara road widening project is still going on.
To make the corridor between Central Silk Board and Hebbal signal-free, nearly 10 underpasses have been planned at major junctions along the route. Flyovers and underpasses have been planned at HSR Layout 14th Main, Devarabeesanahalli, Bellandur, Hennur and Veerannapalya at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore.
The signal-free corridor should have been completed by July 2011. But the delay is because of the time taken to shit utilities and to acquire properties to complete underpasses. Pedestrian underpasses and skywalks would be provided, said sources in Bangalore Development Authority, which is executing the project.
Once the project is completed, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, with dedicated bus lanes, would be introduced along the route for smoother movement of BMTC buses, the sources said.BRT is part of a Detailed Project Report (DPR), being prepared by the BDA, for the corridor from the Central Silk Board Junction to Hebbal, the sources said.
The 35-km stretch of Ring Road has 17 junctions, which have to be modified if BRT has to be implemented. As per preliminary guidelines, the road width has to be increased to accommodate three lanes, one dedicated to buses and other service roads, sources said.