Thu Dec 18 15:56:54 UTC 2025: Bengaluru Underpass Project Remains Stalled After 11 Years Due to Traffic Concerns

Bengaluru, India – December 18, 2025 – A critical infrastructure project intended to alleviate traffic congestion on Bengaluru’s HAL Airport Road remains at a standstill 11 years after it was initially planned. The 300-meter Wind Tunnel Junction underpass, part of a larger initiative to make the 16.5-km HAL Airport Road signal-free, has seen less than 1% of construction completed.

While the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) successfully completed underpasses at Kundalahalli and Suranjan Das Junctions in 2022 and 2023 respectively, the Wind Tunnel project has been repeatedly blocked by the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP). The BTP argues that allowing construction would paralyze key traffic arteries, including Indiranagar 100 Feet Road and Old Madras Road, leaving residents of Central and Southeastern Bengaluru with no viable alternatives.

HAL Airport Road is a crucial link between Central and East Bengaluru, and officials have been trying to find alternative routes. According to The Hindu, the civic body has requested permission to close the road for construction seven times in the last four years, but the police denied each request. One proposed alternative involved a road through private property owned by a political figure, but that proposal was rejected. Now, the civic body is exploring options involving roads within the NAL and ISRO campuses, though concerns about proximity to a sensitive ISRO structure remain.

If a solution can be found and a full road closure is permitted, officials estimate the underpass could be completed in 90 days. Partial closure would extend the timeline to 195 days. However, the BTP maintains it will not permit construction without a viable alternative route.

This is the fifth in a multi-part series from The Hindu.

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