B-SMILE cancels ORR rebuild tender again to audit potential encroachments along section

According to an internal report, several businesses in Kadubeesanahalli and Devarabeesanahalli were encroaching on the road. | Photo credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE) has canceled the tender for the reconstruction of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) for the second time as it plans to conduct an audit to identify encroachments along the stretch and revise the design.

The development follows the directions of Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who has directed the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to conduct a public consultation before finalizing the redevelopment proposal.

A B-SMILE source confirmed to The Hindu that the tenders have been called off and preparations are underway to identify potential hits. According to an internal report, several businesses in Kadubeesanahalli and Devarabeesanahalli were encroaching on the road.

Design work

“When we first conceptualized the design, we only focused on redevelopment and did not consider revision. However, subsequent site visits revealed that the width of the section is uneven at many points, so encroachments need to be identified and the area reclaimed,” the official said.

He also said that B-SMILE will soon seek feedback from local residents on requirements and possible value additions to the project before finalizing the design.

“There have been deficiencies in the engineering of the existing drains, which have caused flooding in the past. This is because one side is at a higher elevation, leading to improper water flow,” the official said. “The audit will also examine such areas and redesign the drains to address the issue,” he added.

The irregularities came to light during the heavy rain that lashed the city on June 2, leading to one-to-one traffic and complete disruption for more than two hours. A few vulnerable spots have been identified between KR Puram and Iblur Junction, especially around Marathahalli where major flooding has occurred.

The official also said that the earlier project excluded work on service roads as the East City Corporation had already paved several sections. However, it has now been decided to include these sections for resurfacing as well.

A few changes in plans

In October 2025, SPV finalized the original proposal and even proposed extending quality monitoring beyond the Defects Liability Period (DLP) by introducing stricter quality control measures for the section. B-SMILE originally planned to redesign only two lanes of the main road, including the bus priority lane. It initially proposed white-coated junctions along the 17.1 km stretch, but later revised the plan after objections from the Bengaluru traffic police.

The SPV subsequently reworked the design and suggested a white topcoat for the entire stretch citing its long-term durability as the ORR is one of the city’s major corridors and cannot be redone frequently.

Although bids were issued and the lowest bidder was selected, SPV canceled the process and invited new bids citing technical issues. She has now canceled the selection process for the second time.

Published – 19 Jul 2026 21:43 IST