Bengaluru to build longest tunnel-like underpass near Yelahanka airbase

Bengaluru will build its longest tunnel-like underpass near Yelahanka airbase on NH‑44, a ₹51.27‑crore project set for completion before Aero India 2027

Bengaluru will soon see the construction of its longest tunnel-like underpass near the Yelahanka Air Force Station on the airport highway. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has invited Requests for Proposal (RFP) to build a depressed service road, designed about six metres below the main road level, at a cost of ₹51.27 crore excluding GST.

The project includes a 320‑metre covered depressed service road, an 800‑metre surface-level road, relocation of Indian Air Force (IAF) assets, and other associated works. The underpass will feature two lanes with paved shoulders, connecting the IAF station’s domestic area to its technical zone and linking the runway to Hunasamaranahalli Lake.

This stretch is currently the only section on the airport highway without a service road, making it a critical gap in the 22.12‑km Hebbal‑Trumpet corridor of NH‑44. The underpass will be constructed using the cut‑and‑cover method, where a trench is excavated, the tunnel is built within it, and the surface is restored with backfilling.

The new facility will be longer than any existing underpass in Bengaluru. In comparison, the planned 16.75‑km Silk Board‑Hebbal tunnel road will use Tunnel Boring Machines, similar to those deployed for metro projects.

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NHAI has already shifted some IAF assets, including the entrance gate and compound wall, and completed about 200 metres of preliminary work. Bids will be opened on February 25, with the contract expected to be awarded by March‑end. The project deadline is 18 months, though officials aim to finish a major portion before Aero India 2027.

In addition, NHAI has recently completed service roads at Hebbal and Jakkur and is constructing a 700‑metre six‑lane underpass at Sadahalli to remove the only signal on the airport highway. That project, worth ₹35 crore, has been awarded to Vidya Infratech Pvt Ltd with a completion timeline of 15 months.

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