Bengaluru: Motorists using the busy Hebbal Flyover junction will soon have to endure yet another major construction project as Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) sets to begin work on the proposed short tunnel aimed at easing traffic congestion between Hebbal and Mehkri Circle.The 2.2-km, six-lane bi-directional tunnel will originate from Hebbal Junction, pass beneath the railway line and a section of Outer Ring Road (Tumakuru Road side), continue through the veterinary college campus, and emerge on Ballari Road near the University of Agricultural Sciences staff quarters. The project is designed to provide a signal-free corridor for traffic, particularly between the city and Kempegowda International Airport.Construction activity is expected to gain pace in the next two weeks. Excavation for the tunnel will be carried out to depths of about 5.5 metres to 18 metres (18 to 60 feet).The BDA will construct the short tunnel using the cut-and-cover method. Under this technique, a trench is excavated from the surface, a reinforced concrete tunnel structure is built within it, and the trench is then backfilled and the surface restored.Transport minister Byrathi Suresh, who represents the Hebbal Assembly constituency, said chief minister DK Shivakumar will lay the foundation stone for the Rs 1,139.7-crore project Sunday.18-month deadlineThe BDA has set an 18-month deadline for its completion. A senior BDA official said the design has been approved and the agency will soon coordinate with police to prepare a traffic management plan.A source said the tunnel will begin near the loop of the Hebbal flyover close to Tree Park. The entry ramp will cater to vehicles arriving from KIA side, while the exit ramp will emerge on Ballari Road (National Highway), opposite the garage near Hebbal Lake.The massive construction activity is expected to test the patience of lakhs of motorists using the Hebbal junction. Hebbal is already witnessing multiple infrastructure works, including construction of the Blue Line of Namma Metro, double-decker flyover being built along with the Orange Line Metro corridor, and the suburban rail project. This apart, the proposed Red Line of Namma Metro also goes via Mehkri Circle and veterinary college and terminates at Hebbal.Tunnel road can help cross junction in 2 minutes: MinisterThe minister expressed confidence that the project will be completed within the deadline. “This project is being implemented to ease traffic congestion. Countries such as the United States and Japan have built tunnels, and even Mumbai has an undersea tunnel. I do not understand why there is opposition to this project when similar infrastructure works have not faced such resistance elsewhere,” he said.He added the tunnel has been designed for a speed of 60kmph. “Once the tunnel is operational, motorists will be able to cross the Hebbal stretch in about two minutes. At present, the same journey can take up to 30 minutes during peak hours,” the minister said.Project highlightsTunnel length: 2.2kmAlignment: Hebbal Junction to UAS staff quartersMaximum depth: 60 feetMain carriageway : 6 lanesLane width: 3.5m Estimated cost: ₹1,139 croreConstruction period: 18 monthsNo acquisition of private land required
