Bengaluru: Incomplete footpaths, misused cycle lanes and illegal parking have turned the 8-km stretch of Kanakapura Road, south Bengaluru, revamped under then Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) Rs 130-crore high-density corridor project, into a chaotic corridor. Residents are questioning what has happened to the allocated funds.The revamp works commenced in June 2024 with the aim of creating uniform-width roads, clean and accessible footpaths and dedicated cycle lanes along Kanakapura Road, as well as Old Madras Road and Bannerghatta Road. However, on Kanakapura Road, footpath work has been completed only along the first 2-3km, with construction past Yelachenahalli pending. Residents said narrow carriageways, encroachments and incomplete planning have exacerbated traffic issues rather than alleviated them.
Padmanadhan J, 77, president of GR Grand Residency Apartments, voiced concern, stating, “The cycle lane should be for cyclists, but hardly anyone uses it. What worries me more is that two-wheelers ride on the footpath, putting pedestrians, especially seniors, at risk. Broken or encroached footpaths force people onto lanes crowded with bikes and illegally parked vehicles. Ironically, there is a ‘zero tolerance zone’ board at Sarakki signal, but if you stand beneath it, you can witness every possible traffic violation — wrong-side driving, triple riding without helmets, and more.“Keseari Prasad, 74, a resident of Maya Indraprastha Apartments, added, “When they laid a separate cycle path, we warned that it would only become a parking space, but officials insisted it was based on studies treating Kanakapura as a high-density corridor. We argued that narrowing the road would increase congestion, but they claimed that traffic moves faster on a six-lane road. Traffic has only worsened now. It would make more sense to have proper footpaths and convert this lane into a two-wheeler path so that wider vehicles can use other lanes efficiently.“Sudha Delawadi, a resident of JP Nagar, remarked, “They promised a fully planned cycle lane with a proper budget, but work stopped after just 2km, leaving footpaths buried under concrete and poorly maintained. The parking area was never needed — Kanakapura Road is already congested, and unsafe footpaths force people to use vehicles even for short distances. The cycle track never materialised, and the stretch from Banashankari to Yelachenahalli Metro is now used for parking. I’ve lived here for 18 years, and it’s disheartening to see roads, footpaths and civic management in such a state.”Abdul Aleem from Changemakers of Kanakapura Road stated, “Under the high-density corridor project, crores were meant to be spent on uniform-width roads, clean and accessible footpaths, and new streetlights. What we see on the ground is very different. Only the first 2-3km of footpaths have been laid; the rest is incomplete. Where pavements do exist, parking space has been provided for commercial establishments, despite our repeated objections through letters and meetings. Work beyond Yelachenahalli has not progressed at all, and nothing has moved despite follow-ups. The project needs corrections to meet its promised standards.”Officials pass the buckOfficials at Greater Bengaluru Authority’s South corporation said the project falls under Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (BSMILE). However, BSMILE officials claimed they had no information about the makeover project.
