Intro
Decade-delayed Sadahalli underpass project will finally eliminate the last traffic signal before airport.
CH NEWS
BENGALURU
Motorists travelling to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will soon enjoy an uninterrupted, signal-free drive from Hebbal, with the long-pending Sadahalli Junction Underpass project finally set to begin. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will commence preliminary work next week, marking the start of a project that has remained on the drawing board for nearly a decade.
The Bengaluru Traffic Police has granted permission for construction activities to be carried out at night between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. over the next 15 months to minimise disruption to traffic. The approval, issued on July 1, clears the way for work on the 700-metre-long underpass at the busy Sadahalli Junction.
At present, Sadahalli Junction is the only traffic signal on the 22-km stretch between Hebbal and the airport. Once completed, the six-lane underpass, estimated to cost ₹35 crore, will remove this final bottleneck and ensure seamless travel to and from the airport.
NHAI Bengaluru Project Director K.B. Jayakumar said preliminary activities, including barricading, traffic diversions and widening of service roads, would begin next week. To maintain traffic flow during construction, the existing two-lane service roads on either side of the highway will be expanded into four-lane roads.
Given the heavy monsoon during July and August, only preparatory work will be undertaken initially. Major excavation for the underpass will begin after the rains subside in September.
The project has been awarded to Vidya InfraBuilt Pvt. Ltd., with the design already finalised. The underpass will be built using the cut-and-cover method, a widely adopted construction technique for urban tunnels.
NHAI aims to complete the project before the Aero India exhibition scheduled for February 2027, ensuring smoother access to the airport for commuters, business travellers and visitors attending the international aerospace event.
The completion of the underpass is also expected to ease congestion around Sadahalli Junction, improve travel time reliability and enhance connectivity to north Bengaluru, one of the city’s fastest-growing corridors. Officials believe the project will significantly improve the overall commuting experience for thousands of airport-bound passengers every day while strengthening the region’s transport infrastructure.
