IISc study says Hebbal tunnel may move Bengaluru’s traffic queues, not clear them

The proposed 2.2-km tunnel from Hebbal flyover junction to the Veterinary College may allow vehicles to move faster through its middle, but queues could form near the Veterinary Hospital and Esteem Mall, an IISc study has found.

Ashish Verma, convener of the IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab, assessed the six-lane tunnel against an underground Metro alternative for 2027, 2031 and 2041. The study projects congestion on roads leading into and out of the tunnel, with queues potentially extending back towards Hebbal Junction and Mekhri Circle. In the Bengaluru-bound direction, queues could extend into the tunnel.

By 2041, the volume-to-capacity ratio at Hebbal Junction for airport-bound traffic is projected at 2.42 under the existing road network. At the tunnel entry in the opposite direction, it is projected at 3.31. A ratio above one indicates that demand exceeds road capacity.

For 2027, the Metro option produced a lower projected ratio at Hebbal Junction: 0.05 for Bengaluru-to-airport traffic, compared with 1.06 under the tunnel scenario. The study also questioned the project report’s assumption that 50% to 80% of traffic would shift to the tunnel.

The tunnel proposal is awaiting approval. The Blue Line to the airport is targeted for a full opening by March 2028.