Bengaluru: The long wait ends, city’s Minsk Square opens for traffic

Bengaluru: After a long wait of nearly four-and-half years, a stretch of Cubbon Road, which was closed to traffic for Namma Metro work, will be thrown open on Monday. The traffic police had opened the left turn going from the Queen’s Statue circle till GPO junction and by Monday the traffic on Minsk Square will return to normalcy.

The stretch between the BRV Junction and Minsk Square was shut for traffic for more than four years, as against the initial deadline of two years, by the Metro authorities. This closure had aggravated the traffic congestion on M G Road and motorists faced a tough time even during non-peak hours.

M.A. Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said that by Monday the traffic pressure on M G Road will be eased and a much smoother traffic flow can be expected.

“The vehicles coming from the eastern parts of the city such as Ulsoor and Indiranagar now need not enter M G Road to reach other parts of the city as the Cubbon Road will now be opened. In the next few months, the barricades in front of Vidhan Saudha (Gopal Gowda Cirlce) and near the K R Circle will also be removed, which will further decongest the traffic around the major government buildings,” he said.

On Thursday, the commuters were spared from taking a long left turn to reach GPO junction. They can now hit the junction just by taking a free left. The traffic police are now contemplating on bringing the Minsk Square signal under signal synchronisation system from the Manipal Centre junction.

Meanwhile, the Metro authorities carried out the finishing work on Thursday, which continued till late night. The work on the signal has been completed.