Bengaluru To Get 8-Lane City Expressway To Solve Traffic Jams
Bengaluru's long-stalled Peripheral Ring Road project is finally moving forward after nearly two decades of delays, rebranded as the Bengaluru Business Corridor with a fresh design featuring an eight-lane expressway, dedicated cycle tracks, service roads and a reserved median for a future Metro corridor. The 74-kilometre corridor aims to ease the chronic traffic congestion that has plagued the city whilst integrating northwest and northeast Bengaluru into a comprehensive growth corridor.
LK Atheeq, Chairman of the Bengaluru Business Corridor, outlined the specifications: the total Right of Way will span 65 metres, of which 41 metres will be dedicated to the eight-lane expressway itself.
A five-metre median has been reserved in the centre for a potential future Metro corridor, addressing long-term public transport needs as the city continues to expand. On either side of the expressway, nine-metre service roads will provide two lanes plus an additional dedicated lane for cycling, along with three-metre pavements for pedestrians.
The corridor alignment begins at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre on Tumakuru Road in the west, passes through Ballari Road beyond Yelahanka, connects to Old Madras Road and Electronics City, and finally joins NICE Road at the Hosur Road junction.
This route creates an outer ring connecting major industrial and commercial hubs whilst bypassing the congested core areas of the city. A spur road towards Major Arterial Road has been proposed for potential integration with a second peripheral ring road, creating a comprehensive network for future growth.
Each side of the expressway will include utility ducts within the service roads, ensuring that future infrastructure development for water, sewage, telecommunications and power can be accommodated without disrupting the main carriageway. The integration of cycle tracks and wide pavements reflects growing recognition of the need for sustainable transport options and last-mile connectivity in rapidly growing cities.
The project will integrate seamlessly with NICE Road at Electronics City and Madavara, facilitating better traffic flow across the southern and western parts of the city. This integration is crucial, as NICE Road currently serves as the primary southern bypass but becomes congested during peak hours. The new corridor will provide an alternative route, distributing traffic more evenly across multiple axes.
Land acquisition has been the primary obstacle delaying the project for nearly two decades. To address this, authorities are now offering five compensation options to landowners: cash payment at double the market rate in urban areas and triple in rural areas, Transferable Development Rights, enhanced Floor Area Ratio, developed residential plots in Bangalore Development Authority layouts, or commercial land along the corridor. Special Land Acquisition Officers have been appointed to collect landowners' preferences and finalise compensation awards.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced that the Karnataka Cabinet has approved the project, with the state planning to secure a loan of 27,000 crore rupees from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited. However, he suggested the final cost could come down to around 10,000 crore rupees, depending on the compensation options chosen by landowners. The corridor road is expected to be completed within two years once construction begins.
The project requires around 2,560 acres of land spread across 67 villages, affecting more than 4,000 landowners. The number of affected parties has grown over time due to land partitions and multiple ownership claims. To expedite the process, the Bangalore Development Authority has appointed eight land acquisition officers and established four new offices near the affected villages, ensuring that landowners can complete formalities locally without travelling to the main BDA office.
For landowners losing less than 20 guntas of land, only cash compensation will be offered. The multiple compensation options are available exclusively to those surrendering larger parcels, reflecting the government's objective to return land to farmers instead of auctioning it commercially whilst addressing the needs of those who prefer immediate cash payment over long-term development rights.
The corridor is designed as a toll road, though specific toll rates have not been announced. The toll revenue will help repay the loan taken for construction whilst providing ongoing maintenance funds. The inclusion of service roads alongside the main expressway ensures that local traffic can use the corridor without paying tolls, maintaining connectivity for communities along the route.
The five-metre median reserved for Metro expansion reflects lessons learned from other cities where rapid transit systems were added as afterthoughts, requiring expensive modifications or additional land acquisition. By reserving space now, Bengaluru can add Metro service along the corridor once demand justifies the investment, without disrupting the expressway or requiring property acquisition in areas that have likely been developed by that time.
The state government's approval is still pending for the final proposals and revisions. Once cleared, the project promises to transform Bengaluru's transport landscape, addressing traffic gridlock that has worsened as the city has grown into one of the country's primary technology and business hubs. The corridor is expected to reduce traffic congestion in the city by nearly 40 per cent once completed.