Commuters in Bengaluru's Old Airport Road area endured severe traffic jams on Monday, with congestion persisting even during typically lean hours. This occurred despite a set of trial measures implemented by the traffic police to decongest the crucial Marathahalli Bridge junction.
Traffic Police's Trial Plan Backfires
In an effort to ease pressure at the busy junction, the HAL Airport traffic police station initiated trial changes starting December 22. The key modifications included making the Marathahalli Bridge signal-free, restricting right turns from the KLM service road towards Varthur and Whitefield, closing the median opening at Tulsi Theatre junction, and disallowing U-turns at Doddanekundi junction.
Authorities advised motorists to use longer alternative routes via Outer Ring Road, Karthik Nagar junction, and Kalamandir service road. However, these diversions seemed to merely relocate the traffic bottlenecks instead of resolving them, leading to widespread frustration among commuters.
Shifting Bottlenecks and New Pressure Points
A ground report by TOI around noon, a period known for lighter traffic, revealed bumper-to-bumper vehicles stretching from Kundalahalli junction to Doddanekundi junction. With the bridge now signal-free, a heavy volume of vehicles from the KLM service road flowed uninterrupted towards Doddanekundi, clogging Old Airport Road and causing chaotic merging due to the absence of regulated signals.
The Karthik Nagar junction emerged as a new congestion hotspot. A significant number of vehicles heading towards Varthur–Gunjur Road diverted to take the suggested Karthik Nagar U-turn, resulting in long queues. Furthermore, the condition of the Kalamandir service road, now handling diverted traffic towards Varthur Kodi, exacerbated problems. Metro construction work and illegally parked vehicles reduced the effective road width, slowing movement to a crawl.
Residents Stranded by 4km U-Turn Ban
One of the most contentious aspects of the new plan is the nearly 4-kilometer stretch with no U-turns between Kundalahalli junction and the HAL main gate. Previously, motorists could use U-turns at Tulsi Theatre Road or Doddanekundi junction to access neighborhoods like Sanjaynagar. With both points closed, residents are forced to travel all the way to the HAL main gate to turn back, drastically increasing travel time for short local trips.
Sahil Bagla, DCP East, acknowledged the initial chaos, stating that many unaware drivers took the KLM service road and then tried to U-turn at Doddanekundi, adding to the congestion on Old Airport Road. He noted that traffic is currently reduced due to the Christmas and New Year holidays, and police are monitoring the situation before making a final decision.
Prabhu Patil, president of Rohini Vasantha Apartment in Spice Garden, highlighted the U-turn crisis, stating it took him 30 minutes to cover just 1km. Ramakant Sharma, a resident, reported his usual 30-40 minute commute to Indiranagar took 90 minutes, with the entire Old Airport Road stretch packed. Rajashree Warrier from Karthik Nagar pointed out that local residents now struggle to enter or exit ORR due to the diversion-induced gridlocks.
The trial has clearly shifted congestion rather than solved it, leaving Bengaluru's commuters questioning the efficacy of the plan and demanding more sustainable, automated solutions to manage the city's perennial traffic woes.
