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Bengaluru’s traffic woes set to ease? Major road widening to reduce travel time from MG Road to Bellandur to 5-8 mins

The Defence Ministry transferred 12.34 acres to BBMP for Bengaluru's major road expansion.

Published on: Sep 29, 2024, 10:13:03 IST
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In a significant boost for Bengaluru commuters, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday announced that the Defence Ministry has agreed to transfer 12.34 acres of land to the city's civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

Bengaluru is infamous for its traffic congestion. (Kashif Masood/HT Photo)
Bengaluru is infamous for its traffic congestion. (Kashif Masood/HT Photo)

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This crucial land handover aims to widen the road from Lower Agaram to Sarjapur, a move that promises to drastically reduce travel times, news agency ANI reported. The project will cut the travel time from M. G. Road to Bellandur from an hour to just 5-8 minutes, Shivakumar said. The Union Defence Minister has now granted approval for the transfer of about 22 acres of land in total.

As part of the project, tenders have already been called for the initial stretch of 3.5 kilometres, with an estimated cost of 35 crore. “Once the Defence Ministry hands over the remaining 10.77 acres of land, it would ease traffic from the City centre to the IT hub,” he added.

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Shivakumar emphasized the importance of this project for the residents of Bengaluru, especially those in the eastern parts of the city. "As a Bengaluru Development Minister, I used to get 8-10 emails a day on traffic issues in East Bengaluru. In view of this, I had inspected the traffic issues in the area. Widening of the road with the help of Defence Ministry would significantly ease traffic in this area," he said.

Additionally, the Minister revealed ongoing efforts to secure two acres of land near the Military Dairy Farm in Hebbal for a proposed tunnel, showcasing the government’s commitment to tackling Bengaluru's notorious traffic challenges. The Defence Ministry has requested the provision of basic amenities in certain areas in exchange for the land, which Shivakumar said the government is prepared to fulfil.

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With these developments, Bengaluru residents can look forward to smoother commutes and a more efficient road network.

(With inputs from ANI)

  • Yamini C S
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yamini C S

    Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More