Bengaluru Traffic Crawls During 180-Day Wind Tunnel Road Underpass Work On Old Airport Road

Traffic movement on Old Airport Road in Bengaluru has started slowing near Murugeshpalya Junction after construction began on the long-delayed Wind Tunnel Road underpass project, with commuters now expected to face nearly 180 days of congestion, diversions and peak-hour bottlenecks on the busy East Bengaluru corridor.

One carriageway has already been shut for excavation and civil work, forcing vehicles travelling in both directions onto a single side of the road. The narrowing of the stretch is already affecting movement towards HAL, Marathahalli and central Bengaluru during office hours.

The underpass project, estimated at around Rs 19 crore, started this week nearly a decade after it was first proposed. Officials have fixed a construction timeline of around 180 days, including the monsoon season, with November currently being targeted for opening.

Traffic police have already introduced diversions around Murugeshpalya Junction to facilitate construction. Officials said traffic conditions remain manageable for now, but warned that congestion could worsen once schools reopen and rainfall intensifies over the coming weeks.

Authorities said the underpass is expected to provide signal-free movement at one of East Bengaluru's busiest choke points once completed. Long vehicle queues regularly build up near Murugeshpalya Junction towards the HAL side and Manipal Hospital stretch during rush hours.

The project has been split into two phases to retain partial traffic movement during construction. In the first phase, work is being carried out on the Manipal Hospital side while vehicles continue using the opposite carriageway. Construction on the HAL-bound side will begin later in the second phase.

Officials said most prefabricated underpass segments are already ready, but excavation work, utility shifting and retaining wall construction remain the biggest challenges. Underground cables, pipelines and other services must be relocated before large-scale work can progress faster.

Traffic police also pointed out that Old Airport Road remains highly sensitive because of frequent VVIP movement linked to HAL Old Airport. Even short stoppages can quickly create long traffic queues once carriageway space is reduced.

Police warned that monsoon showers, school reopening traffic and diversions could together put additional pressure on the corridor during the coming months. Motorists have been advised to plan extra travel time and consider alternate routes wherever possible.

During a recent inspection, GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao reportedly directed contractors to speed up work and examine engineering methods that could reduce delays. Although officials discussed the possibility of completing the project within three months, the official construction timeline currently remains fixed at around 180 days.

Authorities maintain that the underpass should eventually ease congestion near Murugeshpalya Junction and improve traffic flow between HAL, Marathahalli and central Bengaluru. Until then, commuters across East Bengaluru may have to prepare for several months of crawling traffic on Old Airport Road.