NEWS – Draft DPR for ORR Bengaluru features 10-lane, bus priority corridor, cycling lanes

HIGHLIGHTS

Project Overview

• Implementing Agency: Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (BSMILE).
• Stretch Covered: 17.01 km between K.R. Puram and Central Silk Board.
• Status: Draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted to the government; Cabinet approval expected soon.
• Estimated Cost: ₹450 crore (up from ₹400 crore).
• Consultant: Infra Support Engineering Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

Key Infrastructure Features

• Road Design:
  • 10 lanes in total, including:
    • 6-lane main carriageway (3 lanes per side, 10.5 m wide each).
    • 4 service lanes (2 lanes per side, 6 m wide each).
  • Median: 1–4 m wide, separating carriageways and service lanes.
  • Utility Duct: 1-m-wide underground corridor.
• Footpaths & Cycling:
  • Footpaths 2.5–4 m wide with integrated cycle tracks due to space constraints.
  • Design inspired by the Raj Bhavan Road cycle track.
• Bus Priority Lane (BPL):
  • Revival of 3.75-m-wide dedicated bus lanes on both sides.
  • Soft rumble strips to demarcate BPL from main carriageway.
  • SPV to build and maintain modern bus shelters, ending private maintenance contracts.

Special Engineering Considerations

• Elevated Sections: Main carriageway width increases to 11 m.
• Metro Corridor: Only 4 m reconstructed near Metro pillars; rest overlaid with bituminous concrete.
• White-topping: Limited to key choke points — Marathahalli, Kadubeesanahalli, and Iblur Junctions.

 Traffic & Safety Enhancements

• Objective: Reduce congestion, improve bus movement, and enhance pedestrian safety.
• Traffic Volume: Currently handles 10,400 PCUs, double its original capacity (4,800 PCUs).
• Pedestrian Focus: Study underway to allow public access to Metro stairways to resolve skywalk issues.

Expected Outcome

• Streamlined traffic flow, reduced choke points, improved bus efficiency, and better cycling-pedestrian integration — marking a major urban mobility upgrade for Bengaluru’s ORR.