Bengaluru: The 18-month traffic restriction timeline on Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) Road, between UAS Staff Quarters and Mehkri Circle, to facilitate construction of a four-lane elevated corridor has become a punchline for city’s traffic-weary motorists: While some bet hard on the fact the project cannot be completed within 18 months, others proposed flying to the airport by drone. The condition of the suggested routes, they say, is no laughing matter.The Times of India decided to check the condition of the alternative roads suggested by traffic cops to avoid congestion on KIA Road and this is what emerged: The alternative roads are already snarled by traffic, Metro work, utility cuts and delayed resurfacing and sending hundreds more vehicles, including buses and heavy vehicles, down these roads could turn the detour into a new bottlenecks. Commuters say the alternative roads need improvement and their capacity assessed before additional traffic is routed through them.Here is what each road looks like:Nagawara – Hebbal stretch: Metro work compounds congestionFor airport-bound vehicles from the city, police have proposed a route via Cantonment Road, Tannery Road and Nagawara Main Road before joining the road towards Hebbal. But Nagawara Main Road is already experiencing severe snarls because of Metro construction. BMRCL is also building the elevated Blue Line along the four-kilometre Nagawara-Hebbal stretch. Traffic is moving slowly as construction continues. The route would have to absorb hundreds of private buses and KSRTC services. With road space constrained by ongoing work, commuters fear the extra traffic could make the stretch harder to navigate.Goraguntepalya: Difficult junction for airport-bound trafficVehicles travelling from the airport towards central Bengaluru have been asked to divert at Hebbal towards Yeshwantpur, pass through Goraguntepalya Junction and take Dr Rajkumar Road. Goraguntepalya, where the Outer Ring Road (ORR) meets Tumakuru Road at two junctions, is already prone to traffic snarls. Moreover, the ORR stretch between BEL Circle and Goraguntepalya is relatively narrow, carries substantial heavy-vehicle traffic and runs alongside defence properties. A narrow railway overbridge near Muthyala Nagar creates another pinch point. These constraints could make it difficult for the route to handle more traffic.Dr Rajkumar Road: Work and bus trafficDr Rajkumar Road presents its own challenges. White-topping work is incomplete, and some sections currently permit only one-way traffic. The road already carries many KSRTC buses travelling from Majestic towards Tumakuru Road. More buses and heavy vehicles could increase delays while roadworks continue.Mathikere Road: Patchwork has left an uneven surfaceMathikere Road, between the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and BEL Circle, is also in poor condition. KPTCL underground cabling work was followed by BWSSB pipeline work, leaving several stretches dug up. Although patchwork was carried out recently, the surface remains uneven and heavily patched. Heavy traffic and poorly regulated junctions add to congestion.New BEL Road: Full resurfacing awaitedNew BEL Road has also been affected by BWSSB utility work, which involved digging up long stretches. Temporary patchwork has been completed, but comprehensive resurfacing is still pending. Some sections milled months ago remain unrepaired, making the road difficult to use and risky, particularly for two-wheeler riders.What is happening near Hebbal on KIA Road?Elevated Corridor Construction Zone stretch: UAS Staff Quarters–Mehkri Circle (1.6 km)Construction duration: 18 months (deadline: May 2028)Vehicles banned: KSRTC and private buses, and all goods vehiclesVehicles allowed: Cars, cabs, two-wheelers, school buses and emergency vehiclesKSRTC to study impactA senior KSRTC official said hundreds of services operate via Ballari Road every day. The impact of the diversions, the official said, would become clear only after the restrictions are implemented.
