The stretch from Varthur Kodi to Sarjapur Road in Bengaluru has become notorious for its traffic woes, standing alongside the 17.1-km Outer Ring Road (ORR) from Silk Board junction to K. R. Puram Metro as one of the city's most congested routes. This nine-kilometer section of State Highway-35 (SH-35) is infamous for its relentless traffic jams, made worse by inadequate infrastructure and ongoing civic work.
Commuters on this route are met with a host of difficulties. Open drains, dust clouds, and potholes are just a few of the challenges. This area is part of the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency and is a hive of residential activity, with numerous apartment complexes and over 20 schools. Unlike the ORR, where congestion peaks at certain hours, SH-35 suffers from constant traffic chaos.
At times, the congestion on SH-35 even surpasses that on the ORR. One officer noted that traffic remains heavy throughout the day, with smaller connecting roads also clogged, resulting in longer travel times. SH-35 is a crucial link for heavy vehicles and school buses, which adds to the traffic density.
Residents, like Narendra Rao from Gunjur village, point out the inadequate road infrastructure. Despite the area being dotted with towering apartment buildings, the roads are narrow and inadequate for the increasing number of vehicles. Large craters and sections of missing road, especially near the Rama Temple at Gunjur Bus Stop, make commuting even more challenging.
The highway has three major choke points: the Varthur Police Station junction, the Gunjur-Mugulur Road junction, and the Muthasandra Main Road cross near Varthur Lake. These junctions lack traffic signals and rely on manual management by traffic police and local volunteers. Prasanna Bhat, one of these volunteers, observes how the slow-moving traffic affects the connecting roads.
Key routes connecting to SH-35, such as Hosahalli Road and Balagere Main Road, are narrow yet carry a heavy traffic load. As congestion builds on the highway, these roads experience long traffic jams, often extending beyond 1.5 km during peak hours.
Pedestrians face their own set of hurdles. Rohan, a local resident, recounts the struggle of crossing roads and walking along paths obstructed by mud or open drains. Ongoing civic works add to the dust and debris, making the area even more challenging for pedestrians.
The Karnataka Road Development Corporation (KRDCL) has fallen behind on two critical projects: a flyover at Varthur Kodi and the widening of SH-35. These initiatives, started in 2019, have seen little progress, with the original 2021 completion deadline long past. Land acquisition issues have been a major obstacle. Additional Commissioner Lokhande Snehal Sudhakar mentions that Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) are being issued to expedite the process.
Yet, some landowners are demanding cash compensation, which requires KRDCL's approval and processing. Until these issues are resolved and the projects make headway, residents and commuters will continue facing the daily ordeal of traversing one of Bengaluru's most congested roads.
