Traffic cops propose carpooling, shuttle buses to ease congestion on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road

Outer Ring Road

With most companies asking employees to return to offices as the work-from-home arrangement comes to an end, Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road, especially the stretch between Central Silk Board and KR Puram (19km), is seeing a surge in traffic congestion.

According to the report submitted by the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) to the traffic police, 6.4 lakh employees now commute daily between Silk Board and KR Puram, using 3.3 lakh vehicles, including personal cars and cabs.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M N Anucheth told Moneycontrol that there is an increase in traffic congestion on ORR after tech companies asked employees to return to the office. "We are now asking ORRCA and companies on ORR to provide shuttle bus services between Central Silk Board and K R Puram for employees and also encourage carpooling initiatives to reduce the number of vehicles," he says.

Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) to the traffic police

For instance, ELCITA (Electronics City Industrial Township Authority) is operating six free shuttle buses during office hours for employees as well as residents. Two buses are plying within the area, while four are for pick-up and drop facilities for employees between Silk Institute Metro station and Electronics City.

Anucheth said they want ORRCA to replicate the ELCITA model and operate free shuttle bus services to encourage more employees to switch to public transport. "Two-three new tech parks are coming up on ORR in the next few months, so the traffic is bound to increase," he says.

Sources in ORRCA say 70 percent of the employees on the tech corridor have returned to offices. "Employees working, especially in financial firms, are now regularly coming to the office. Other tech firms are also insisting employees report to work," he says. Of the 3.3 lakh vehicles, 70 percent are private cars or yellow-board vehicles (cabs), and the remaining 30 percent are two-wheelers.

Cab owners said there is a dip in demand from tech parks. K Radhakrishna Holla, president of the Karnataka State Travel Operators' Association, says, "The demand from tech parks/companies for office transportation has drastically reduced. This is mainly because of the hybrid work model, and companies have stopped providing employees with transport facilities. Following Covid-19, many employees bought vehicles and now commute using their vehicles due to the absence of employee transport facilities. This has also increased traffic congestion" he says.

Metro crucial for tech corridor

The completion of the Byappanahalli-KR Puram Metro's missing link is expected by August 2023, and the Silk Board station for the Electronics City corridor (RV Road-Bommasandra) is set to be completed by December 2023.

A senior executive working in a tech park on ORR says, "Once the missing link (Byappanahalli-KR Puram) is completed, employees coming from two Metro lines (Whitefield - Challaghatta and Yelachenahalli - Silk Institute) can get down at K R Puram and should be able to take a shuttle bus up to Silk Board. BMTC may be operating buses between Silk Board and KR Puram/Hebbal, but those buses won't go inside the tech campuses" he says.

"Once the Silk Board station is completed, ORRCA and companies can operate shuttle services between Marthahalli - Silk Board and Marthahalli – K R Puram. Currently, women can travel in non-AC BMTC buses for free under the state government's Shakti scheme. Companies can provide free bus passes for male passengers as well as free Metro passes for all employees" he says.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has also decided to launch corporate passes to attract tech parks and businesses in the city and increase ridership.

The Central Silk Board- K R Puram - Kempegowda International Airport stretch (KR Puram) is expected to be completed by 2025-2026. Metro work occupies 4.5 meters on both sides (a total of 9 m) which shrunk the road width of ORR.

Also read: Why Bengaluru's tech corridor, Outer Ring Road, needs an urgent fix 

In September 2021, the Karnataka government asked tech parks along the ORR to extend their work-from-home period till December 2022 to reduce traffic congestion on account of Metro construction work. Following outrage from citizens, the government withdrew the letter and claimed that it was just an advisory.