The Outer Ring Road Companies’ Association has urged BBMP to delay the ₹450-crore Bengaluru ORR white-topping project until Metro services begin. ORRCA says simultaneous construction could worsen traffic and inconvenience commuters along the 17-km stretch.
The Outer Ring Road Companies’ Association (ORRCA) has urged the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to begin the proposed ₹450-crore white-topping project on the Outer Ring Road only after Metro services become operational along the route. The BBMP has planned comprehensive development work, including white-topping a 17-km stretch of the ORR, which is home to thousands of IT and technology companies and several major tech parks. The work is currently scheduled to begin in October.
In a letter to the BBMP, ORRCA pointed out that Metro construction is already underway along the same stretch. The association has warned that carrying out the white-topping work simultaneously could cause significant inconvenience to commuters and further worsen traffic congestion on the busy corridor.
Blue Line Metro Work
The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has set a target of completing the Blue Line Metro corridor connecting KR Puram to Kempegowda International Airport via Hebbal by mid-2027.
ORRCA has suggested that until the Metro project is completed, other components of the white-topping project can continue as planned. These include work on bridges, junctions, stormwater drains, also known as rajakaluves, and the shifting of utilities.
According to the association, completing these supporting works in advance could help reduce overall disruption when the main road and white-topping work eventually begins.
Work From Home Is Not A Solution
During a recent meeting, BBMP officials suggested that companies could consider offering work-from-home options to employees to help reduce traffic during the construction period.
However, ORRCA has informed the BBMP that relying on work-from-home arrangements is not a practical solution to address the expected traffic disruption. The association has instead urged the civic body to coordinate the road and Metro projects and schedule the white-topping work in a manner that minimises inconvenience to commuters and businesses along the Outer Ring Road.