Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road snarls: Traffic Police warns of heavy evening jam amid flyover closure

Bengaluru commuters faced severe traffic jams on the Outer Ring Road due to the closure of a flyover for metro construction.

Bengaluru commuters using the Outer Ring Road (ORR) faced severe traffic congestion on Tuesday morning as the flyover near HSR Layout, between Silk Board and Iblur, was closed for infrastructure work by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). The closure led to heavy jams during the morning peak hours, and authorities have warned of similar gridlocks in the evening.

Bengaluru: Vehicles stuck in the traffic jam. (Old Pic)(PTI)

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) issued an advisory for ORR commuters traveling from Marathahalli towards Iblur and Silk Board. The flyover section between 19th Main and 14th Main has been temporarily shut due to ongoing metro construction, which is expected to impact traffic movement significantly.

To ease the congestion, BTP suggested alternative routes for motorists. "We suggest these alternative routes when traveling from Iblur towards Silk Board or Hosur. Take a left at 19th Main towards 17th Cross HSR, then proceed towards 5th Main to reach Silk Board. Alternatively, one may take a left at 6th Main, travel through MCHS Colony, and reach Hosur Road," the traffic police stated in their advisory.

Despite these diversions, the already overburdened ORR struggled to accommodate the heavy vehicular movement. Commuters took to social media to express their frustration, criticizing authorities for undertaking critical infrastructure work on weekdays rather than during weekends or lean hours.

The Outer Ring Road, one of Bengaluru’s busiest corridors, is a crucial link for IT professionals traveling to and from major tech hubs like Marathahalli, Bellandur, and Electronic City. With no clear timeline for the completion of the metro work, traffic snarls are likely to persist, making daily commutes even more challenging for the city’s workforce.