Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road at breaking point: Traffic woes, poor infra trigger outrage

Gaurav Singh Kushwaha, founder & CEO of BlueStone, told Moneycontrol: "We, the residents of Bellandur, demand urgent road improvements, including a white-topped concrete road (Sakra Hospital Road), better traffic management, designated parking slots, and drainage fixes before the monsoon. Other concerns include illegal pavement encroachments, unlicensed roadside shops, and construction debris obstructing roads."

Shikhar Saxena, founder of SuperDM, wrote on X platform: "ORR Bangalore has been dug up for a year now. This road has the offices of most Indian startup unicorns, like Flipkart, PhonePe, Meesho, Navi, Groww, etc."

Former Infosys CFO, TV Mohandas Pai, who has been vocal about Bengaluru's civic issues, told Moneycontrol, "Bengaluru Development Minister must get serious. The priority isn’t the Tunnel Road — it’s cleaning up the city, fixing roads, and completing Metro projects. There’s enough money, but no action."

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

"Outer Ring Road is a global corporate hub, yet the city is failing to support it. If businesses aren’t respected, how will they create jobs?" he added.

A tech professional @Ashwatthama posted on X: "EcoSpace is one of the biggest IT parks in Bangalore. Just look at the condition of EcoSpace bus stop and road. @PriyankKharge, do you want IT companies to move out of Bangalore? If yes, say so openly. Don't make them suffer like this." His post went viral with over 700 reposts and around 3,000 likes. Kharge is state IT-BT minister.

100-day deadline fails to bring change

In October 2023, Deputy CM and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar assured residents and employees that traffic problems on ORR would be resolved in 100 days. He had stated that one-fifth of Bengaluru's revenue comes from the companies operating on ORR. However, the 100-day deadline ended in January 2024, and more than 500 days later, commuters and residents say little has changed on the ground.

When contacted, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike chief commissioner Tushar Giri Nath was unavailable for comment.

In August 2024, the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA), representing IT companies in the area, flagged the ongoing civic problems. According to an ORRCA report, the tech corridor employs 9.5 lakh people across 500 companies, generating 36 percent of Bengaluru's annual IT revenue from the KR Puram to Silk Board stretch.

Also read: Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road Companies Association flags poor condition of tech corridor

Manas Das, president of ORRCA, said BBMP has agreed to lay roads, clear debris, and remove illegal shops to improve pedestrian access. "In the past month, significant progress has been made with paving, cleaning, and road repairs. Around 35-40 tonnes of debris have been cleared, and the stretch from Marathahalli to Kadubeesanahalli has improved. More work remains, but a roadmap is in place. Metro construction at night and heavy traffic during the day leave little time to clear the dust. Service roads and the main carriageway from Marathahalli up to Devarabeesanahalli are in better shape, compared to a few weeks ago."

In October 2024, the Karnataka government formed a committee with industry leaders to address infrastructure problems in the tech corridor. A report submitted by ORRCA to the traffic police indicates that 6.4 lakh people use 3.3 lakh vehicles daily between Central Silk Board and KR Puram.

Many are pinning their hopes on the Bengaluru Metro, which has a June 2026 deadline, but there are concerns about potential delays, given the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited's (BMRCL) track record.

"The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister must realise Bengaluru is Karnataka’s economic engine. If Hyderabad can develop world-class infrastructure, why can’t we?" said Pai.

He also stressed that tech parks should take responsibility for maintaining nearby infrastructure. "Tech parks must take responsibility for roads around their premises. Many struggle with traffic congestion due to poorly designed entry and exit points. This must be fixed," he said.

Work in progress

Clement Jayakumar, member-secretary of Mahadevapura Task Force (MTF), said, " Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) work is nearly complete, and service roads from Ibbalur to Marathahalli, damaged by BMRCL’s high-tension cable work, are being restored. Road repair work from Marathahalli to Kadubeesanahalli is underway and will extend to Ibbalur. It is expected to be completed in three to four months."

He said: "We have proposed TenderSure roads for the entire ORR, but the BBMP does not have funds."

“On Sakra Hospital Road, stormwater drainage work was delayed as a private builder challenged the alignment in court. We will take up asphalting, once it is completed. For S-Cross road widening, 90 percent of land acquisition is complete, with five small properties pending. BWSSB and KPTCL cable work are ongoing. Once finished, asphalting will be done. The road will be widened to 12 metres and will ease traffic but not fully solve congestion," he added.

Online outrage

Many netizens have highlighted the poor condition of bus stops and footpaths near Microsoft, Adobe, JP Morgan, and other major offices, where dust, exposed wires, missing slabs, and garbage are common.

Residents living along the road connecting Sakra Hospital to Bellandur Kodi, home to several apartment complexes like Mantri Espana, Sobha Iris, and Vaswani Villas, recently protested the poor road conditions. Following the protest, Shivakumar who visited the area promised to resolve the issues. Residents have also raised concerns about the dire state of Vibgyor School Road, Gear School Road, Bellandur Lake Road, Panathur Main Road, Sakra Hospital Road, Gunjur, Varthur, Belagere, and Sarjapur Main Road.

Also, read: Traffic congestion in Bengaluru's tech corridor costs $15 bn annually: Outer Ring Road Companies Association