After years of protests, why Bengaluru’s Panathur–Balagere road fix still leaves commuters frustrated

Residents of Panathur and Balagere welcomed the opening of the widened junction and expanded underpass after years of protests. The new stretch created early hope that traffic would finally ease. But congestion returned quickly, disappointing commuters who expected a major improvement. Many feel the project came too late for today’s traffic volume. The upgrades help, but not enough to change daily travel patterns. Relief arrived — but only halfway.

Within hours of opening, the freshly widened road began slowing down during peak hours. Long queues formed at familiar points, raising questions about the upgrade’s effectiveness. Commuters say the current traffic load far exceeds the improvements made. While the road surface is smoother, the bottlenecks remain unchanged. The early return of jams has frustrated residents. Many now wonder if the upgrade was enough at all.

Locals say the work should have been completed a decade earlier, when traffic was manageable. Since then, the region has grown rapidly with new homes, offices and commercial hubs. The late expansion cannot match the pace of development around Panathur and Balagere. Residents feel authorities ignored repeated warnings about rising congestion. A project that once could have solved the problem now only eases it slightly. The gap between growth and infrastructure remains wide.

Panathur–Balagere Road remains the only major connection for thousands heading to Outer Ring Road. With multiple neighbourhoods depending on one route, the burden is enormous. Even a small obstruction leads to long backups every morning. Rapid urban expansion has only added more vehicles to this narrow corridor. The lack of alternate roads worsens the situation. The entire region now relies on a single overworked stretch.

The widened section near the underpass and the whitetopped road offer some driving comfort. But the benefit ends quickly as vehicles bunch up near the older, narrower stretches. Traffic moves well for a short distance before slowing again at bottlenecks. Residents say the inconsistent width makes the upgrade less effective. Continuous improvement was needed, not scattered patches. The flow remains broken despite the upgrades.

The S-Cross intersection still traps vehicles because widening work is incomplete. Several properties block the road from being expanded to its full width. Though demolition orders are issued, some owners haven’t accepted compensation. This forces traffic to squeeze through the narrow bend, undoing gains from the widened stretch. Commuters say this junction alone causes most delays. Until it is cleared, smooth traffic is impossible.

Daily users say the Panathur junction still causes the most delays, no matter how much the surrounding road is improved. Traffic narrows sharply here, slowing movement immediately. Commuters believe the real solution lies in redesigning the junction fully. Until that happens, the wider road sections make only a small difference. Many now feel the upgrade hasn’t addressed the heart of the problem. The congestion cycle continues unchanged.

Seven properties need to be removed before drainage and footpaths can be completed. Only two owners have agreed to compensation, leaving major work on hold. Because of this, road edges remain uneven and confusing for drivers. Pedestrians also face difficulty due to disrupted footpath work. Residents fear these disputes could delay the project further. Without full clearance, the road will remain only partly usable.

Long-time residents welcome the improvement but say it arrived too late to be fully effective. Travel times remain high despite the widened road. Many still spend nearly an hour covering short distances in peak traffic. Locals feel the scale of work does not match the size of the population using the road. The upgrade has eased pressure, but only mildly. Much more needs to be done to truly fix congestion.

Several stretches still have exposed drains and unfinished pedestrian paths. This forces people to walk on the main road, creating dangerous situations during peak hours. Two-wheelers are at risk near open drains, especially at night. Residents say the road was opened too quickly without addressing safety basics. The unfinished sections make the corridor hazardous despite improvements. Commuters want safety prioritised in the remaining work.