Caught in a Limbo: Unfinished ramps delay full benefits of double-decker flyover, rotary flyover at Baiyappanahalli fails to take off

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Despite the commissioning of Namma Metro’s Yellow Line, large sections of the double-deck flyover along the elevated corridor are still incomplete, testing the patience of thousands of daily commuters. In particular, the 1.37 km ramps connecting the HSR Layout to Ragigudda and BTM Layout are currently under construction, making a critical section of the flyover unusable.

The pending work is unlikely to be completed before January 2026, officials said.

The 5.12 km double-decker flyover, built by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) at an estimated cost of ₹449 crore, has been designed as a major intervention to decongest the Central Silk Board junction, one of the most congested traffic jams in Bengaluru. The main signal-free corridor connecting Ragigudda to the Silk Board junction was opened in July 2024. But almost a year and a half later, the incomplete launchers remain ineffective.

The lengthy delay sparked harsh criticism from regular commuters; Most of them say the flyover falls short of expectations. BTM Layout resident Ramkumar S., who travels daily to his workplace in HSR Layout, said the incomplete ramps force drivers to continue using crowded surface roads.

Manjunath KM, a resident of Banashankari who uses this corridor on his way to Bellandur, said: “The double-decker flyover is one of the city’s most promising infrastructure projects, but its partial opening has limited its usefulness. A structure intended to facilitate travel remains partially functional long after it is opened to traffic.”

The unfinished ramps were originally scheduled to be completed by June 2025. HinduMost of the work is currently being carried out and the remaining sections are expected to be commissioned by January 2026, a BMRCL official said. However, an exact timeline has not been announced.

Vikram Rai, a resident of BTM Layout, said that the unfinished ramps have started to serve an undesirable purpose. He said that in the early morning hours, people used the almost completed structures as walking or jogging paths. “It is frustrating for residents to see infrastructure that seems almost ready, despite public investment and intense publicity, lying idle. With metro services running on the Yellow Line, the delay in completing the flyover highlights persistent problems in project implementation across the city,” Mr. Rai added.

The double-deck overpass includes a series of loops and ramps designed to integrate with the Yellow Line’s elevated subway viaduct. The structure passes through three main locations, namely Jayadeva Hospital, BTM Layout Plan and İpek Tahta junction, and is planned to include five ramps in total.

Currently, ramps A, B and C are operational. Ramp A connects Ragigudda metro station to Hosur Road, while ramp B branches off from ramp A towards HSR Layout. Ramp C connects BTM Layout to Hosur Road and HSR Layout via ramp A. The construction of the remaining two ramps is still ongoing. Ramp D, which will be elevated above Ramp A and the metro line, is intended to provide a direct connection to Ragigudda from the HST Scheme. Ramp E is designed to descend from YHS Layout to BTM Layout.

Pivot bridge

Meanwhile, Bengaluru’s proposed elevated rotating flyover near Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal in Baiyappanahalli, despite being envisioned as a significant solution to traffic congestion, has failed to advance beyond the planning stage even years after the project was announced.

The city’s first such rotary pass was stalled because the contracting process ran into repeated hurdles, primarily due to unusually high bids submitted during multiple bidding rounds, according to officials.

The project was announced in 2017-18 under the Nagarothana scheme with an estimated expenditure of ₹360 crore. It was intended to ease vehicle movement and decongest one of the busiest areas of East Bengaluru. Although the tender has been put out and the foundation has been laid, the actual construction has not started yet.

Vignesh Kumar, a local resident of Maruthi Seva Nagar, said the long delay has only worsened commuting conditions. “The reasons for the delay are unclear, but drivers are the real sufferers. Traffic congestion during peak hours has become unbearable,” he said.

According to Mr. Kumar, early implementation of the proposed rotary flyover could have significantly reduced congestion in the area.

(This is the second in a multi-part series)

It was published – 16 December 2025 07:00 IST