Bengaluru's Malleswaram 8th Main Road White-Topping Project Faces Prolonged Delays
In Bengaluru, a critical 1.3-kilometer stretch of Malleswaram's 8th Main Road, also known as Canara Union Road, has been shut down for white-topping work for close to two years, causing widespread inconvenience and economic distress. The project, approved in June 2024, commenced in September 2024 with an initial deadline set for November 2025. However, as officials prepare to partially reopen one-third of the road this Friday, completion of the entire stretch is now expected to take an additional two months.
Contractor Division and Project Scope
The work is being executed by two separate contractors, each handling distinct segments of the road. One contractor is responsible for the section from 7th to 15th Cross, including Chitrapur Circle, while the other manages the stretch from 15th to 18th Cross. The latter segment is scheduled to open for traffic on Friday, offering some relief to commuters. The project has been funded under BBMP Escrow grants, with costs totaling Rs 10 crore for the 7th to 15th Cross section and Rs 5.5 crore for the 15th to 18th Cross section.
Local Businesses Bear the Brunt
Traders along 8th Main Road have expressed deep disappointment over the slow pace of work, citing severe financial losses. Suresh Kumar, a pharmacist on the road, lamented, "We have lost all hope that our business will revive itself. Our efforts over 25 years are now wasted because of this prolonged work. I have been dozing off in my shop without customers." He added that approximately 30 shops have either shut down or relocated due to the disruptions, with the road becoming narrower and unsafe.
Chandrashekar T, owner of a fruits and vegetables store near 12th Cross, highlighted the personal toll, stating, "It has been 1.8 years since the work started here. The quality of work is abysmal. My shop has incurred a loss of about Rs 20 lakh in this period. I have two kids, their school fees and house rent have to be paid." The road, popularly known as the '90 route' for BMTC bus routes 90 and 90E that connect Yeshwanthpur to Kempegowda bus station, has seen these buses rerouted through 6th Main, further impacting local traffic flow.
Administrative Changes and Technical Challenges
Following the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the project was transferred from the erstwhile BBMP's Project Central to Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (BSMILE). An executive engineer from BSMILE, overseeing the stretch from 7th to 15th Cross, explained that the agency took over in September 2025. "The time taken to replace utilities like underground drains and water supply lines added to the delay. BWSSB took over six months to do this. The actual white-topping was taken up after this, from April 2025, under the supervision of BBMP before the project was handed over to BSMILE," he said.
The official also noted variations in road width, with the 15th to 18th Cross section being 80-feet wide compared to 40-feet for the rest, leading to differences in footpath sizes. Despite these challenges, the partial reopening aims to alleviate some of the congestion, but local businesses remain skeptical about a full recovery until the project is entirely completed.
