Bengaluru ring road: For lakhs of Bengaluru commuters stuck in endless traffic every day, a project that remained delayed for nearly two decades may finally be turning into reality. The long-pending Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC) project, also known as Peripheral Ring Road Phase-1 (PRR-1), has now moved closer to execution. The construction work on the first stretch will begin within the next two to three months, according to Bangalore Mirror.
The Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) is taking up the 73-km mega corridor project in three packages to improve connectivity between Bengaluru’s northern and eastern zones and reduce pressure on the city’s overcrowded roads.
The first package covers a 19.80-km stretch from Madavara on Tumakuru Road to Ballari Road near Kempegowda International Airport. The estimated cost of this section is Rs 3,348 crore. Two companies, Shankaranarayana Constructions and Vishwasamudra Engineering, have submitted bids for the project, and technical evaluation is currently underway.
Once the scrutiny process is completed, authorities will open the financial bids and identify the lowest bidder for the contract. Officials are aiming to issue the work order by the end of this month, according to Bangalore Mirror.
The contractor selected for the project will also be responsible for operating and maintaining the corridor for 10 years. The maintenance cost alone is estimated at Rs 248 crore.
Land acquisition hurdle slowly clearing
Land acquisition, which remained one of the biggest roadblocks for the project for years, has now seen major progress, according to officials.
Bengaluru Business Corridor Limited (BBCL), the special purpose vehicle implementing the project, has acquired 523 acres out of the 665 acres needed for the first package. Around 204 acres are government-owned land.
Authorities have already provided compensation through cash payments, Transferable Development Rights (TDR), residential sites and commercial plots for nearly 125 acres. Officials said a few landowners have still not collected their compensation. In such cases, the compensation amount will be deposited in court so that the project work can continue without getting delayed further.
For many residents who spend hours commuting across Bengaluru every day, the project is being seen as a much-needed infrastructure upgrade that could improve travel time and connectivity in the coming years.
Project to connect major growth corridors
Once completed, the 73-km PRR-1 corridor will connect several major roads and rapidly developing areas across Bengaluru, including Tumakuru Road, Hesaraghatta Road, Doddaballapur Road, Ballari Road, Hennur Road, Old Madras Road, Whitefield, Channasandra, Sarjapur Road and Hosur Road.
The second package of the project, stretching 18 km from Ballari Road to Old Madras Road, has also moved forward. Authorities have identified around 434 acres for acquisition under this package, of which 123 acres have already been acquired.
Officials said the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this stretch is under preparation, and tenders are expected to be floated in June, according to Bangalore Mirror.
For the third package, spanning 27.75 km from Old Madras Road to Hosur Road, authorities are acquiring around 710 acres of land.
Overall, the PRR-1 project requires acquisition of 2,418 acres, with nearly 1,810 acres earmarked for road construction and the remaining land reserved for interchanges and grade separators.
An official said completed PRR stretches will open in phases without waiting for the entire 73-km corridor project, according to Bangalore Mirror.