New Hebbal flyover loop promises faster traffic- But may shift bottleneck to Mehkri Circle

Second loop to open by New Year; authorities hopeful of smoother flow despite narrowing concerns

Work on easing Bengaluru’s most notorious choke point is entering its final phase as the Hebbal flyover prepares to receive yet another loop, this time for vehicles coming from Yelahanka, Jakkur and Sahakarnagar. The new loop, which the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has instructed the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to complete within two weeks, is expected to be operational by the New Year.

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The upgrade comes weeks after the earlier loop opened for Outer Ring Road (ORR) traffic, offering partial relief to commuters. Once the second loop is ready, airport expressway vehicles, ORR users and local traffic will finally be segregated into dedicated lanes, removing the current manual traffic stoppage where police alternate between airport-bound traffic and local vehicles trying to access the flyover. Authorities say this alone should considerably reduce the slowdown.

However, engineers and traffic officials remain cautious. The new loop, built with a width of 7.5 metres, narrows to 6 metres at the point where it merges with the main flyover. This constriction, experts fear, could create a fresh bottleneck.

Officials note that while congestion on the Hebbal flyover has eased, the tail has already shifted toward Mehkri Circle after the first loop opened. With another loop joining the system, the jam may stretch even further, possibly back towards Hebbal, canceling out some travel-time gains.

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Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Traffic Police are pushing for widening of the Mehkri Circle service road to provide a free left turn towards Jayamahal Road. This requires Defence land acquisition, and the BDA is currently working on the proposal.

Officials say the second loop is a major step but must be paired with downstream improvements to prevent traffic pressure from merely relocating instead of being resolved.