Tue Apr 22 12:44:16 UTC 2025: **Bengaluru’s Hebbal Flyover Ramp Nears Completion, But Traffic Relief Remains Uncertain**
Bengaluru, April 22, 2025 – The long-delayed additional ramp on Bengaluru’s notoriously congested Hebbal flyover is expected to open in early May, according to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). While the BDA commissioner, Jayaram, assures completion is imminent, the project has already missed its April 30th deadline. The new ramp, connecting KR Puram to Bangalore Baptist Hospital, aims to alleviate traffic, but its impact remains a subject of debate.
Commuters currently face significant delays, even during off-peak hours, due to ongoing construction. Navaneeth Iyer, a private employee, described his recent experience traversing the flyover as “horrible,” citing lengthy delays and dust from construction materials.
However, the ramp’s design has been altered from the original plan, which would have connected Esteem Mall to Baptist Hospital. The change, intended to avoid further congestion, means the new ramp primarily benefits traffic from the Outer Ring Road (ORR), leaving the airport-bound traffic largely unaffected. Auto-rickshaw driver Guruprasad expressed disappointment that this revised plan does not address the congestion from the airport side.
While Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) Deputy Commissioner Siri Gowri anticipates a 40% reduction in traffic load on the existing loop once the new ramp opens, she acknowledged a lack of current plans to address the persistent bottleneck near Esteem Mall.
Experts, however, express skepticism about the long-term effectiveness of the new ramp. Ashish Verma, a professor at IISc’s Sustainable Transportation Lab, argues that any infrastructural improvements will only provide short-term relief unless the city addresses the root cause: the sheer volume of private vehicles. He stresses the need for strategies to reduce vehicle numbers and discourage private car ownership to effectively manage traffic congestion in Bengaluru.
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