Bengaluru’s traffic puzzle grows bigger: Another key flyover marked for demolition

Bengaluru is set to lose another major flyover as Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-Smile) plans to demolish the existing IOC Junction flyover to construct a new Rs 436-crore elevated rotary flyover aimed at easing congestion in east Bengaluru. The current flyover was built by the railways in 2001-02.

The proposed demolition is expected to cause significant traffic disruptions across key stretches including Dodda Banaswadi Road, Byappanahalli Road, Kammanahalli Road and nearby connecting routes, all of which already witness heavy vehicular movement during peak hours.

Officials said a detailed traffic diversion and management plan will be prepared in coordination with multiple civic and transport agencies before work on the elevated rotary flyover begins in order to minimise inconvenience to commuters.

Alongside the rotary flyover project, B-Smile is also planning a new railway overbridge on Byappanahalli Road connecting to Old Madras Road, a move expected to improve access to Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal, one of Bengaluru’s busiest railway stations.

According to B-Smile officials, the new elevated rotary flyover is designed to provide seamless connectivity to Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal from multiple directions, addressing long-standing last-mile connectivity issues caused by narrow approach roads and limited access routes. (Images by- Chetan Shivakumar)

The project cost has risen sharply from the initially proposed Rs 263 crore in 2023 to Rs 436 crore due to revisions in the project design, GST additions and inclusion of a new 1.5-km flyover from Maruthi Seva Nagar Road to separate local traffic from long-distance commuters heading towards the railway terminal.

K-Ride, which is implementing the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project through IOC Junction, has already issued a no-objection certificate for the project. However, officials acknowledged that construction will be technically challenging because of the presence of several active railway lines in the surrounding area.