Residents bat for public transport across the elevated corridor in south Bengaluru

Nearly three residents’ associations called for a human chain near the proposed alignment on Sunday (October 11) to raise awareness among citizens about the impact of the elevated corridor. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO

In continuing opposition to Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited’s (B-SMILE) elevated corridor project, residents of Jayanagar and surrounding areas are now opposing the proposed 18.5 km elevated corridor from Ragigudda Junction to Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru south, which will be tolled.

Nearly three residents’ associations on Sunday called for a human chain near the proposed alignment to raise awareness among citizens about the impact of the elevated corridor.

The opposition is following the strong opposition of Indiranagar residents, CV Ramana Nagar and HAL against the elevated corridor between Old Madras Road and Silk Board Junction. Separate groups in East Bengaluru opposed the project, with one of them conducting an independent citizen-led tree survey to assess the impact on green spaces.

In August, B-SMILE floated tenders for the Ragigudda corridor, prompting residents to consult traffic and transportation experts and review the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Green areas and purchase of land

Guruprasad DN, one of the organizers, said the main problem was the need for a flyover. “Metro connectivity already exists along the route currently planned by B-SMILE. The real requirement is to fix the first and last mile connectivity,” he said.

The group also pointed out that the route passes through Rose Garden and Pipeline Road, both of which have extensive green spaces. In addition, the project also requires forest land near the NICE road.

According to official documents, the project will require 16,445 sq m of government land, including corporate and forest land, as well as 13,481 sq m of private land. Mr Guruprasad said the private land requirement covers 24 properties.

The group also said the elevated corridor would pass several feet from private properties, causing inconvenience to several households along the route.

Growth claims

BS Prahallad, Technical Director of B-SMILE, defended the project with reference to the year-on-year increase in traffic indicated in the DPR.

“We agree that it will be an inconvenience to local residents, whether at the time of acquisition or construction, but a large number of commuters will benefit from the corridor. These corridors are planned with the future in mind,” he said.

Public transport could help

The DPR says that the traffic capacity of most of the junctions along the proposed corridor has already exceeded their design capacity of 10,000 passenger car units (PCU) per hour, which requires immediate intervention to avoid bottlenecks.

The corridor primarily covers seven junctions – Rose Garden, Sarakki Junction, Konanakunte Cross 1 and 2, A2B Junction, 80 Feet Road Junction and Turahalli Junction – where PCUs are projected to increase by nearly 90% over 10 years.

For example, the number of PCUs in Rose Garden in 2025 was 6,169, which is projected to increase to 11,599 by 2035. However, the DPR also offers two options to meet the growing demand, including policy changes, modal shift and public transport support.

Published – 10 Oct 2026 21:04 IST