Bengaluru: After over a decade of delay, work has finally begun on the long-pending Hope Farm Junction underpass in east Bengaluru, with the civic corporation setting a roughly 200-day deadline to complete the project.The underpass, proposed over 11 years ago, is expected to make the junction signal-free for a major section of traffic movement, bringing relief to thousands of daily commuters, who currently spend long time navigating one of the Whitefield’s worst choke points.The project is estimated to cost around Rs 35 crore. Officials say while groundwork at Hope Farm has begun, work is yet to start at two other planned locations, Big Bazaar Junction and Hoodi flyover, despite all three being part of a larger Rs 140-crore infrastructure package conceptualised nearly a decade ago.At present, vehicles from four major corridors — Whitefield, Kadugodi, ITPL and Chandapura — converge at Hope Farm Junction, creating severe bottlenecks during both peak and non-peak hours. Commuters are often forced to wait through signal cycles lasting nearly 120 seconds at a time, leading to long queues and daily frustration.Why the delay lasted a decadeEngineers from the Bengaluru East civic corporation pointed to prolonged land acquisition hurdles as the single biggest obstacle. According to the chief engineer, the project involves acquisition of six private properties. However, negotiations over compensation — whether through Transferable Development Rights (TDR) or direct cash compensation — remained unresolved for years, delaying physical execution. “We are now nearing resolution and hope to move forward faster,” said an official associated with the project.The 300-metre underpass is designed to make Hope Farm Junction signal-free for vehicles travelling between Whitefield and Kadugodi. Vehicles travelling between ITPL and Chandapura will continue to move on the surface carriageway, while traffic passing between Whitefield and Kadugodi will pass through the grade separator below, reducing conflict points at the junction.Nearly 30 Trees To Be Cut or MovedThe project also involves cutting and relocating nearly 30 trees. According to engineers, the tree expert committee has granted permission to cut a limited number of trees while relocating others that can be preserved. Around eight trees have already been removed, while approvals for the remaining trees will be sought in stages as land acquisition progresses.On the ground, retaining wall construction has already begun on the Kadugodi side after clearing trees. Simultaneously, service roads are being created along one side of the Whitefield-bound stretch to maintain traffic movement during construction. However, work on the opposite carriageway is yet to begin.Part of larger Rs 140-crore mobility planThe Hope Farm underpass is one component of a larger Rs 140-crore traffic decongestion package planned for Bengaluru’s eastern corridor. The package includes two underpasses — one at Hope Farm Junction and another at Big Bazaar Junction — along with a flyover at Hoodi, all proposed to tackle worsening congestion in the Whitefield region. However, there has been little to no physical progress at the Big Bazaar Junction underpass and Hoodi flyover sites.Citizens Remain ScepticalDespite welcoming the start of construction, some residents remain unconvinced about whether the project will adequately solve traffic issues in the long run.Charan, a personal branding consultant residing in Hoodi, said Hope Farm Junction remains one of the worst choke points in the area for motorists, including two-wheeler riders. “The junction is one of the worst choke points during mornings and evenings. My concern is whether traffic assessments done years ago still reflect today’s traffic volume. Construction itself will worsen the situation before it gets better, especially with monsoon rains,” he said.He added that heavy movement of trucks, BMTC buses, corporate buses and school buses through the intersection could continue slowing movement even after the underpass is opened.Another Whitefield resident, Srinivas Reddy, said while the project is welcome, temporary arrangements around the construction zone are currently inadequate to handle existing traffic volumes. “Alternative routes should be clearly published for commuters. Authorities should also better utilise relinquished land along the stretch instead of allowing portions to remain underutilised,” he said, adding that stricter action against roadside parking violations would also help ease congestion during the construction period.For now, however, commuters using Hope Farm Junction may have to brace for several more months of inconvenience as work finally begins on a project that many believe should have been completed years ago.
