NHAI Revives Decade-Old Plan for Sadahalli Underpass on Bengaluru's Ballari Road.

Commuters heading to and from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) can anticipate smoother journeys as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has revived plans for a long-stalled underpass project at Sadahalli Gate on Ballari Road. The initiative aims to eliminate the sole remaining traffic signal on the airport route, effectively removing a significant bottleneck.

The revival comes after a decade of setbacks and delays that left commuters frustrated. The underpass was initially proposed by NHAI ten years ago, with preliminary work even commencing. However, the project was derailed by local opposition, design complexities, and an overlap with the alignment of Namma Metro's proposed Blue Line corridor, eventually leading to its shelving.

Now, with fresh design clearances secured and previous hurdles reportedly cleared, NHAI is prepared to move forward. The authority is expected to float tenders for the construction of the underpass shortly.

Once completed, the underpass is designed to provide uninterrupted access for airport traffic as well as those traveling towards Devanahalli. NHAI Project Director K B Jayakumara confirmed the revival to TOI, stating the underpass will be approximately 800 metres long. While KIA traffic and vehicles heading towards Devanahalli will use the underpass, motorists from nearby localities will utilize the at-grade path for travel towards Devanahalli and Bengaluru city. The project is estimated to cost ₹40 crore.

Although the commencement and completion dates are yet to be finalized, the underpass is expected to significantly enhance seamless airport connectivity. This is particularly crucial given the ongoing realty boom in north Bengaluru, fueled by the airport's expansion and increasing industrial activity near Devanahalli. Officials anticipate that with this underpass and the completion of ongoing ramp addition works at Hebbal in about a month, traffic flow from the central part of the city to KIA will become much steadier after the Windsor Manor junction.

Beyond the Sadahalli underpass, NHAI is also undertaking several other infrastructure improvements along the KIA route. These include enhancing service roads and implementing measures to prevent waterlogging at various points.

Furthermore, NHAI plans to construct a service road in front of the Government Flying Training School at Jakkur at a cost of ₹6 crore to provide crucial service road continuity that has been missing for years. An NHAI official noted that this comes after BMRCL completed its elevated corridor work for the Blue Line in the area and land was acquired for road widening.

The second phase of service road construction near the Yelahanka Air Force Station is also slated to begin shortly. This phase will provide service road continuity using a 'cut and cover' method, pending clearance from defence authorities. Additionally, widening works near Hebbal Lake, from the flyover side up to the elevated corridor ramps, are nearing completion and are expected to be finished within a month.