Ongoing metro construction near the Babusapalya bus stop on Outer Ring Road (ORR) has severely worsened traffic congestion and raised pedestrian safety concerns, following the demolition of a key skywalk.
Despite a pedestrian signal and the presence of two traffic personnel, crossing the busy ORR remains challenging and dangerous. Many commuters complain of long waits and motorists ignoring signals. “We wait 10 minutes for the green signal, but even then vehicles don’t stop,” said Kumar, a pedestrian. Regular commuter Deepa added, “At night, it’s even worse. No one stops, even when the signal is green.”
Traffic police manually control the signal during the day and switch it to automatic mode at night. While officers attempt to signal vehicles to halt, many motorists continue driving, disregarding both signals and instructions.
BMRCL (Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.) had informed the traffic department that the skywalk had to be removed for six months to facilitate construction. In response, the Banaswadi traffic police implemented a temporary pedestrian system, which includes signal controls and on-ground personnel. AI cameras, once installed to monitor violations, had to be removed due to the construction but will be reinstalled soon, according to Inspector Girish.
The Namma Metro Blue Line, currently under construction, will connect Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport via the ORR — but until its completion, daily commuters continue to face significant hardships.
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