The BDA on Sunday laid the foundation stone to build three additional lanes at the overly congested Hebbal junction, expecting to ease traffic movement towards the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).

The contractor has been given a 12-month deadline to complete the work. 

The Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA) latest plan shows that building the three lanes must start from scratch as the previously built half-done pillars will be rendered unnecessary due to a change in alignment. The new proposal also involves the demolition of two loop flyovers that connect to the main flyover from KR Puram and Tumakuru Road.

Officials insisted that the plan is to first address the flyover work near Baptist Hospital and tackle the demolition at a later stage. “There were two conflict points for traffic travelling towards the city from the airport on the two-lane flyover. The addition of three lanes will greatly reduce traffic congestion, but there will be some traffic disruption during the construction stage,” said a senior BDA official.

In the first phase, the BDA plans to construct three new lanes and an underpass beneath the junction at a cost of Rs 86 crore. The second phase includes the proposal to build loop flyovers for traffic travelling between KR Puram and the city, and from the city to the airport. The entire project is estimated at Rs 250 crore.

On Sunday, the foundation stone was laid by BDA Chairman S R Vishwanath, Bangalore North MP D V Sadananda Gowda, and Hebbal MLA Byrathi Suresh. BDA chief Kumar Naik was also present.