Residents of Kodigehalli in East Bengaluru are grappling with a severe and persistent traffic nightmare, with a local BMTC depot at the heart of the problem. The situation has turned daily commutes, especially for school children, into a stressful ordeal due to chronic congestion on the lone access road near the Hoodi railway halt.
Anatomy of a Gridlock: Depot Design and Narrow Roads
The depot, which became operational in 2023, is not used for originating bus routes but serves as a hub for shift changes, refuelling, and maintenance. This very function is causing major disruptions. The facility primarily handles diesel buses, many of which are wide-bodied, from routes including KBS1I, KBS1K, and 500F. The core issue lies in the inadequate road infrastructure surrounding the depot.
Ananthakrishnan Jayaraman, a local resident, explained the flawed layout. The main road access is obstructed by a railway electric substation, forcing all traffic onto a 50-meter deviation on railway land to bypass it. This bottleneck funnels vehicles onto the road beside the Hoodi railway halt, where a relatively wide road abruptly narrows into a single lane.
Residents Voice Frustration Over Poor Planning
"Why can't the railway station road be widened or straightened? It is a combination of poor design and encroachment," Jayaraman added, highlighting the perceived negligence in urban planning. The problem peaks in the evening when buses from the depot coincide with vehicles from numerous educational institutions, creating a perfect storm of gridlock after 4 pm.
Biju, secretary of the residents' association Kodigehalli Rising, underscored the specific challenges. "The problem with the depot is that it exclusively operates diesel buses, most of which are wide-bodied. The entire road becomes congested," he stated. He also pointed out that only one narrow bridge currently connects the depot to Hoodi, exacerbating the congestion.
Delayed Solutions and Official Reviews
The residents have pinpointed two major causes for the crisis: recent infrastructural changes by the railways that pushed BMTC buses onto the already narrow road, and significant delays in constructing a new bypass road intended to circumvent the railway substation. While the East City Corporation commissioner and BMTC officials have recently reviewed the new road construction, progress remains stalled.
Sources within BMTC revealed that land acquisition issues are hindering the completion of this crucial stretch. A BMTC official acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that drivers and commuters alike are affected. "More than residents, we'd be relieved if the road is completed. The congestion caused by buses affects not only commuters but our drivers too. It is very risky to navigate through curves and narrow paths," the official said. He noted that while the depot itself is not the root cause, traffic volumes in the area have surged in recent years.
The ongoing situation in Kodigehalli serves as a stark reminder of how isolated infrastructural projects, without holistic planning for connectivity and access, can create daily hardships for citizens. The wait for a permanent solution continues as residents navigate the choked roads each day.
