Bengaluru Elevated Corridors: Nine Projects Move Ahead With ₹890 Crore Silk Board Route

Bengaluru is moving ahead with a major expansion of its elevated road network, with tenders for nine proposed corridors now awarded under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model.

The projects are being taken forward by Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE), with the awarded bids ranging between 2.5% and 4.97% above the estimated project costs.

Among the key projects is the proposed elevated corridor connecting Swami Vivekananda Metro Station with Silk Board. The corridor has been awarded to Haryana-based SP Singla Constructions Limited for ₹890 crore, against an estimated cost of ₹852 crore.

The proposed route will begin at Swami Vivekananda Metro Station on Old Madras Road and run through Indiranagar 100 Feet Road and the Intermediate Ring Road. It will then connect with the Ejipura Road Flyover before proceeding towards Hosur Road and Silk Board.

Existing flyovers, including the Domlur flyover and the long-delayed Ejipura flyover, are planned to be integrated into the corridor.

However, the project has faced opposition from residents, particularly over concerns about the impact on Bengaluru’s green cover and neighbourhoods. Residents have claimed that more than 800 trees could potentially be affected, compared with the 235 trees mentioned in the Detailed Project Report.

Another major corridor planned under the programme will connect Shoolay Circle, also known as Vellara Junction, with St John’s Junction via Adugodi along Hosur Road. The ₹519-crore project has been awarded to Hyderabad-based K.M.C. Constructions for ₹545 crore.

In total, 11 elevated corridors were planned under the larger programme. While nine are being taken up through the EPC model, two other corridors are proposed under the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer model and are expected to be tolled.

The State government has defended the elevated corridor approach, arguing that limited scope for road widening in Bengaluru makes additional elevated or underground infrastructure necessary.

The projects come amid an ongoing debate over whether elevated roads can provide a lasting solution to Bengaluru’s traffic congestion. While the government sees them as a way to expand road capacity, residents and urban mobility advocates continue to question their impact on neighbourhoods, trees and long-term transport planning.