Kamaraj Road in Bengaluru to Fully Reopen for Two-Way Traffic in January 2, 2026

Bengaluru commuters have reason to cheer as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) prepares to fully reopen Kamaraj Road, a crucial link between Cubbon Road and Kaveri Emporium Junction on MG Road, after years of disruption. The road is expected to reopen for two-way traffic in the first week of January 2026, bringing long-awaited relief to one of the city's most congested commercial zones.

Kamaraj Road has historically been a major traffic bottleneck, especially due to its strategic location connecting Commercial Street, Brigade Road, Cubbon Road and MG Road. Once reopened, officials expect a significant reduction in congestion and travel time in this busy part of central Bengaluru.

Delays linked to Metro construction

The prolonged closure of Kamaraj Road was due to the construction of the underground interchange station for the Purple Line and the upcoming Pink Line Metro on MG Road. BMRCL began work on the project in 2019 and had initially planned to complete it by 2023.

However, the construction timeline was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by complex tunnelling operations and technical challenges associated with underground Metro infrastructure. These factors led to repeated delays, keeping the road partially or fully closed for several years.

According to BMRCL officials, the major civil works have now been completed, and only final-stage activities remain.

Partial opening already eased traffic

In February 2025, BMRCL had reopened one carriageway of Kamaraj Road, allowing vehicles to move from the Kaveri Emporium side towards Commercial Street. While this partial opening helped ease congestion to some extent, construction continued on the remaining section of the road.

Chief Public Relations Officer of BMRCL, B.L. Yashwant Chavan, said that all civil works on the remaining stretch have now been completed. He added that the road will be fully opened once final clearances are received from the traffic police.

The reconstruction of Kamaraj Road has reportedly cost around Rs 3 crore.

Two-way traffic likely from January 2

Traffic police officials indicated that two-way vehicular movement is likely to begin from January 2, subject to final inspections and safety approvals. Once operational, the reopened road is expected to significantly cut travel time for commuters moving between Commercial Street, Dickenson Road and Cubbon Road towards Brigade Road and MG Road.

For thousands of daily commuters and businesses in the area, the reopening of Kamaraj Road marks the end of a long wait and a key step towards smoother traffic flow in one of Bengaluru's busiest commercial corridors.