Another toll-based elevated corridor in Bengaluru: Ragigudda to Kanakapura Road

Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE) has released a call for bids to construct a new toll-based elevated road corridor connecting Ragigudda and Kanakapura Road, located in the southern part of the city. This project is part of 13 elevated corridors planned to span over 126 km within Bengaluru, with an estimated total cost of Rs 18,000 crore. B-SMILE issued a request for proposal (RFP) for this project on August 17.

The 18.5 km corridor is designed to reduce congestion on the heavily traveled surface road between Silk Board and Kanakapura Road. It follows the alignment of the BWSSB Pipeline Road and is intended to run parallel to the Green Line, which is the surface-level transportation corridor for the metro's Green Line, limiting further development options in the area. The project will also meet the NICE road at Kanakapura Main Road.

The proposed corridor is estimated to be about 12 km long, with vehicles required to navigate at least 12 major intersections before reaching the NICE corridor at Kanakapura Road, leading to increased bottlenecks. The average travel time between Ragigudda and Kanakapura Road is currently about 60 to 90 minutes, with speeds ranging from 8 to 12 kmph.

Both sides of the road are already developed with high-rise buildings, malls, commercial complexes, industries, and temples. The metro's Green Line runs alongside Kanakapura Road at ground level, preventing further developments in this corridor. The government will provide viability gap funding of up to 40% of the project costs—equivalent to approximately Rs 913.29 crore—to make the toll-based model financially feasible for private investors.

B-SMILE has proposed a 30-month timeline for the construction project, including the monsoon months, from Marenahalli Main Road (Ragigudda Junction) to Kanakapura Main Road via the BWSSB Pipeline Road (Thalaghattapura Junction). The RFP indicates a maximum concession period of 11,863 days—equivalent to 32.5 years from the date of awarding the tender. The deadline for submitting bids is September 23, followed by the opening of technical bids on September 24.