Bengaluru's M.G. Road Faces 15-Day Traffic Snarls
Bengaluru's M.G. Road is set to be asphalted over the next 15 days, with authorities warning of significant traffic disruptions in the central business district. Commuters are being advised to find alternative routes as the BBMP carries out the roadwork.
This asphalting project is part of a broader, massive infrastructure overhaul in Bengaluru. The city's 2025-26 budget, under the "Brand Bengaluru" initiative, allocates a staggering ₹73,600 crore for projects including tunnel roads and elevated corridors, executed through a Special Purpose Vehicle. This specific M.G. Road work is one piece of a ₹694 crore action plan to repair 389.7 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads. The choice of asphalting over the initially discussed "white-topping" (concrete layering) represents a significant shift. A plan to concretize the 2.2km M.G. Road for ₹45 crore was scrapped in favor of faster asphalting. This decision also led the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to cancel its project to replace 40-year-old pipelines along the stretch, as their work would take longer than the revised asphalting timeline. To enhance durability, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is increasingly using Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA). While more expensive, SMA contains fibres that increase strength, resist cracks, and prevent water seepage, a major cause of Bengaluru's notorious potholes. This material has a proven track record, with K.G. Road remaining undamaged for nine years after being paved with SMA. The work on M.G. Road, stretching 2.2 kilometers from Trinity Circle to near Cubbon Park Police Station, is being handled by the Bengaluru Central City Corporation (BCCC). To minimize daytime chaos on this critical arterial route, the initial milling to remove the damaged top layer is being conducted at night. Traffic diversions are only planned for when the actual asphalting begins. This road upgrade is occurring alongside other major connectivity projects aimed at decongesting the city. The proposed Bengaluru Business Corridor, a 117-kilometer road network, aims to cut city traffic by up to 40% by helping vehicles bypass the city center. Additionally, the Namma Metro network's Phase II expansion is improving connectivity to commercial districts adjoining the central business district.
