After seven months of persistent efforts, B-SMILE has finally secured partial permission from the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) to overhaul (white-topping and drain works) Kengal Hanumanthaiah Road, one of the most crucial connecting links in the central part of the city.

However, the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) still has to clear the decks by drawing up a time-bound action plan and then seek final approval for laying the road.

As of now, the BTP has agreed to allow the completion of drain, footpath, and utility works. If everything goes as planned, B-SMILE is likely to take up whitetopping work for a 1-km stretch between KH Circle and Kreeda Junction within the next month.

A crucial link

According to a source, the KH Road whitetopping project was tendered to a single contractor as part of a package when the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) floated tenders for four different stretches, including JC Road.

In mid-2025, even as work on JC Road dragged on, the civic body had sought permission from the BTP. However, considering the slow-paced work on the busy JC Road, which brought traffic to a standstill, the BTP did not grant permission.

A senior traffic police officer explained that KH Road serves as a crucial link connecting south Bengaluru to the central part of the city, besides catering to commuters from southeast Bengaluru. The only alternative is JC Road, which runs parallel to the stretch.

“So, it was risky to grant permission for both roads, as it could have paralysed other connecting stretches and smaller lanes as well. Despite this, commuters had to endure the slow-paced work for approximately a year, according to the officer.

Missed deadlines, compounded worry

The BTP’s concern is that the same contractor had missed multiple deadlines earlier, and if that happens again on KH Road, the upcoming monsoon could turn disastrous, as the KH double road already witnesses substantial flooding. In addition, bus movement is heavy on the stretch as it also connects to the Shanthinagar Bus Station.

However, B-SMILE officials are confident of completing the work on time. A B-SMILE source told The Hindu that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has completed work on one side, while work on the second side will begin soon.

“Now, the BTP has permitted us to carry out utility works, which will commence shortly. For the whitetopping work, we are preparing a four-phase action plan, which means the stretch will only be partially closed to traffic,” the source explained.

Lane-wise work

The plan is for B-SMILE to take up the work lane-wise. While work is underway on one side of the lane, traffic movement will continue as usual on the other lane. This will ensure that vehicular movement is not disrupted, but the BTP will have to ensure that traffic police personnel are deputed at the site during peak hours on all days for traffic management.

According to the source, at least six months will be required to complete the entire project, and this timeline will also be communicated to the BTP.