CH NEWS
BENGALURU
Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has directed officials to undertake a series of infrastructure and traffic-management measures along Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR) to improve pedestrian safety and ease congestion.
Officials have been instructed to construct end-to-end footpaths at least three metres wide, while footpaths on slip roads can be up to 1.8 metres wide. All roadside encroachments are to be identified and removed.
The Minister also directed officials to identify and remove transformers installed by private entities in public spaces. Where buffer space is available along service roads, designated taxi and bus pick-up and drop-off points will be created, with colour coding introduced for better identification. Bus bays will also be constructed on the main carriageway.
White-topping works on the ORR are scheduled to begin in October and be completed by January. To facilitate the project, officials have been asked to engage with companies in the area and encourage 50% work-from-home arrangements until the works are completed.
Greater use of internal roads has also been proposed to divert traffic and reduce congestion. The Minister directed officials to consult the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) and the Police Department before finalising traffic-management measures.
He also instructed officials to complete all pending procedures immediately and finalise the plans at the earliest.
“All pending processes should be completed immediately so that the ORR works can be taken up and completed without delay.” Krishna Byre Gowda, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister
ORR Upgrade Plan
- 3 metres: Minimum footpath width
- 1.8 metres: Slip-road footpath width
- October: White-topping work to begin
- January: Target for completion
- 50%: Proposed work-from-home arrangement
- ORR: Bus bays and designated pickup points planned
ORR set for major traffic, safety exaltation
The ORR improvement plan focuses on pedestrian safety, traffic flow and smoother road works. Wider footpaths, bus bays and designated taxi and bus stops will be introduced. Encroachments and private transformers occupying public spaces will be removed. White-topping is scheduled from October to January, with companies encouraged to facilitate 50% work from home. Internal roads will be used to divert traffic, while ORRCA and police will be consulted.
