Traffic congestion is a daily occurrence at Iblur Junction, which connects Sarjapur Road with the Outer Ring Road.
Credit: DH Photo/S K Dinesh
Bengaluru: Over 60 Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs) from Sarjapur Road have urged authorities to decongest Iblur Junction before proceeding with the proposed new road from Lower Agaram to Sarjapur Road.
Last week, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced that the Defence Ministry has agreed to transfer 12.34 acres of land to the BBMP, with in-principle consent for an additional 10.77 acres, to widen the road from Lower Agaram to Sarjapur Road.
A senior BBMP official stated that the road from Lower Agaram to Ejipura would be widened, and a new road would be built between Ejipura and Agara on Sarjapur Road. This new route aims to reduce commute times between the city centre and the IT hub.
"It currently takes about an hour to reach Iblur from MG Road via Domlur or St John's Hospital. We propose a direct road that will significantly reduce travel time," said the official.
Map showing the proposed alignment of the new Agaram-Sarjapur Road.
Credit: BBMP
However, local residents argue that the current six-minute wait time at Iblur Junction will worsen due to bottlenecks created by the new road.
Vishnu Prasad of the Bellandur Development Forum said, "This project should extend all the way to Sarjapur, if the goal is to ease congestion in the IT corridor. We also need better public transport and faster metro development in Sarjapur and Iblur. Connectivity plans are being executed in isolation, and it's unclear who represented us in this project."
Mrinal Singh Raja, a resident on Marathahalli-Sarjapur Road, said, "We need an integrated solution — metro expansion, signal-free junctions and improved public transport. Piecemeal projects won’t solve Bellandur’s traffic issues."
Adity Roy of Harlur Road added, "Road-widening on Sarjapur Road has been delayed for years. Despite being a high tax-paying area, Bellandur’s traffic woes remain ignored. It's absurd to think you can reach Bellandur in 10 minutes from MG Road."
Traffic expert Sreehari M N called for a scientific report on the project's impact on the area, while encouraging residents to view such developments positively.