Why Bengaluru’s Peripheral Ring Road remains unfinished after 18 years

The long-delayed Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project in Bengaluru has now been rebranded as the Bengaluru Business Corridor, with the state government giving it a fresh push and setting 2029 as the new completion deadline after years of delays.

The 73-km-long corridor is being positioned as a major solution to Bengaluru’s worsening traffic congestion. Once completed, it is expected to divert heavy vehicles and long-distance traffic away from the city’s already crowded arterial roads.

The proposed corridor will link Tumakuru Road, Ballari Road, Old Madras Road and Hosur Road, creating a large ring-like road that connects key growth corridors on the outskirts of the city.

The large-scale infrastructure project is estimated to cost around ₹27,000 crore and will be financed through a loan from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), officials said.

Originally notified in 2007, the Peripheral Ring Road project has faced repeated delays over the years due to policy changes, protests by landowners and complications related to land acquisition.

Authorities need over 2,500 acres of land to complete the 73-km corridor. Compensation disputes with farmers and landowners remain the biggest obstacle in moving the project forward.

Landowners have strongly opposed the compensation being offered by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), arguing that the payout is based on outdated guidance values that do not match current market rates.

To resolve the issue, the government has introduced five compensation options, including cash compensation, Transferable Development Rights (TDR), higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR), commercial plots along the corridor and residential sites in new layouts.

Officials said the project may now be implemented in phases, starting with a 23-km stretch between Madavara and Yelahanka, where a significant portion of the required land has already been acquired.

If completed by 2029, the Bengaluru Business Corridor is expected to improve connectivity to the airport, reduce congestion on the Outer Ring Road and open up new commercial and residential zones across the outskirts of Bengaluru.