The Jakkur–Amruthahalli main road in Bengaluru is expected to reopen within a week after civic authorities said they would complete a drainage culvert project that has remained unfinished for three months and disrupted traffic in the area.
A section of the road near the MCECHS Layout and another stretch near Amruthahalli’s 18th Cross has been closed for the culvert construction. The closure has affected motorists travelling between Jakkur, Yelahanka, Sampigehalli Agrahara, Chokkanahalli and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Residents said the excavation had been left open for several days without visible progress, forcing vehicles towards alternative routes. With the Jakkur flyover nearly complete and trial traffic already operating, vehicle volumes in the area have increased, adding to congestion caused by the road closure.
Vehicles heading towards Ballari Main Road and Amruthahalli are being diverted through Jakkur Kempegowda Circle and the Jakkur Layout. Residents reported heavy congestion near the Shanaishchara Swamy Temple junction, where they said traffic police deployment was inadequate and vehicles were moving irregularly.
The diversion has also pushed traffic into narrower internal roads in Jakkur Layout. Residents said the movement of vehicles on these roads was raising dust and creating safety concerns for children and older people. Traffic has additionally increased near the Jakkur village route towards Srirampura Cross and Amruthahalli 18th Cross, as well as near the Jakkur petrol pump junction. The poor condition of some of these roads has worsened dust pollution when vehicles pass.
The affected corridor is undergoing several infrastructure works. An 800-metre stretch between Jakkur Kempegowda Circle and the Amruthahalli main road has received white-topping, while footpath construction and the installation of slabs over drains are still pending.
Ramesh, assistant engineer in the civic body’s B-Smile division, said the culvert was being built between K.V. Jayaram Road and Amruthahalli 18th Cross to connect with a stormwater drain. He said the work had been delayed but would be completed within a week after officials were instructed to expedite it.
Assistant executive engineer Shivakumar said the delay followed revisions to the culvert work after Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board projects involving Cauvery water and sewerage infrastructure were completed. He also said the work would be completed within a week and the road would then be opened to traffic.
The immediate reopening timeline now depends on the civic agencies completing the culvert, covering the drain and removing the obstruction from the carriageway. Until then, motorists are expected to continue using the diverted routes through Jakkur Layout and nearby junctions.
