Dust, potholes and traffic jams to plague Varthur–Gunjur stretch in Bengaluru for 2 more years

Bengaluru: Commuters on Varthur–Gunjur stretch are in for a long, bumpy ride for at least two more years. Potholes, choking traffic and swirling dust will remain the norm as the much-delayed road widening and elevated corridor project is only crawling, hamstrung by land acquisition hurdles and sluggish progress.

Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) has confirmed that the earliest completion date for the road-widening and elevated corridor project along state highway-35 (SH-35) in east Bengaluru is 2027.


Originally designed as a 1.9-km stretch for road widening from 30 metres to 100, the project has since expanded to include a short flyover near Varthur Kodi, as well as provisions for a future double-decker structure and metro alignment.

Despite this expansion, progress on the ground has been slow, with only scattered drainage work and demolition activity visible along the corridor.

Of the 198 properties marked for acquisition, several have been cleared, with compensation ongoing for some. But acquisition of 19 properties is pending, and this delay continues to hinder full-scale execution of the project.

A senior KRDCL official told TOI while the pace is better than last year, challenges persist: "Land acquisition has been extremely tough, but we are determined to complete the work as soon as possible. GBA has supported us through TDR in some sections. As of now, 2027 is the realistic completion timeline. However, side drain works have already begun, and we will start working on the cleared stretches."

All we need is motorable road: Commuters

With no alternate route to Outer Ring Road, the SH-35 corridor remains the only major route, forcing drivers through narrow lanes, uneven surfaces and large potholes. This situation results in serious health problems for commuters, who are regularly exposed to dust, while pedestrians lack safe crossing areas.

Subhransu Mohapatra, a resident along the stretch, has seen his family's health suffer due to the dust. "My wife and daughter have severe dust allergies. We even bought an air purifier, which only helps in one room. My daughter's school is close, yet we must send her in a van due to unsafe walking conditions," he said. He also experiences constant back and neck pain due to the stressful commute. "We simply want a motorable road until the widening work is finished."

Monalisa Goswamy, a resident who moved in 2020, is frustrated by the lack of progress on the road-widening project. "Every day is a nightmare with huge traffic bottlenecks, yet large tech parks and apartments keep being developed without proper infrastructure," she noted.

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Drive to fill potholes to start soon

Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project (K-SHIP) wing is preparing to undertake pothole-filling work along a 70-km stretch that includes portions falling under SH-35. The wing is set to float tenders shortly for the estimated Rs 2.6-crore project.

In a shift from the usual practice of issuing contracts for full asphalting or resurfacing, the govt assigned K-SHIP the specific task of identifying potholes, filling them and maintaining the repaired stretches for one year. This move is expected to offer long-awaited relief to commuters on Varthur–Gunjur corridor.

The work involves identifying potholes along the 70-km route between Anekal and Kempegowda International Airport's Terminal 2. A private contractor will be selected through the tendering process and will carry out both the repairs and subsequent maintenance.

A senior K-SHIP engineer said the technical bid process has been completed and financial bid is being finalised. "We expect the project to begin by mid-Dec once the tender is approved," the official said.

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