Bengaluru ORR underpass work picks up pace after long delay, completion finally in sight

After more than 14 years of delays, the underpass at Kanteerava Studio Junction on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road is finally seeing progress, with BDA restarting work on the long-pending infrastructure project.

The Bangalore Development Authority has spent close to Rs 100 crore on the incomplete underpass, including construction and land acquisition costs, despite the project remaining only partially finished.

The underpass connects Peenya on one side and Kanteerava Studio Road towards Nandini Layout on the other, making it a key traffic corridor in northwestern Bengaluru.

While the Peenya-side ramp and the central portion below the ORR are ready, construction of the ramp on the opposite side has only recently begun after years of delay.

Repeated litigation over land acquisition stalled the project for years, turning the busy junction into a dangerous stretch for both motorists and pedestrians.

Initially estimated at Rs 47.4 crore in 2011, the project’s cost ballooned over time, with Rs 39 crore spent on construction and around Rs 60 crore on land acquisition.

Following the relocation of underground utilities, excavation work for the remaining ramp has begun, clearing the way for long-awaited completion.

Roads surrounding the underpass are riddled with potholes, forcing traffic police to manage frequent accidents after repeated requests to civic agencies went unanswered.

The area above the underpass was used as a parking zone for waste vehicles until recently, while the completed Peenya ramp has turned into a dumping ground for debris.

While senior BDA officials estimate six months for completion, engineers on the ground say the remaining work could take up to 10 months.