Tannery Road Widening Returns After A Decade As GBA Pushes Ahead, Locals Resist

Last Updated:February 03, 2026, 15:13 IST

Residents and traders along Tannery Road say TDRs are difficult to monetise and do not help them meet needs such as relocating homes, restarting businesses, or repaying loans.

Tannery Road is not just a traffic corridor but a tightly packed commercial and residential zone. Image: X

More than a decade after it was first proposed, the long-pending plan to widen Tannery Road in north Bengaluru has resurfaced, this time under the Greater Bengaluru Authority. But even after 10 years, the project continues to face stiff resistance from residents and shopkeepers, raising questions about whether it can finally move forward.

Tannery Road, one of the city’s narrowest and most congested arterial stretches, has long been flagged for widening to ease daily traffic chaos. Yet, despite repeated attempts by civic agencies over the years, the project has remained stuck due to unresolved disputes over compensation.

What Has Changed After 10 Years

The latest push to widen Tannery Road is now being driven by the Greater Bengaluru Authority, marking a fresh attempt to revive a plan that has seen little progress since it was first proposed more than a decade ago.

The project aims to widen the road to about 24 metres, or roughly 80 feet, along the stretch from Nagawara Junction to Pottery Town. Officials argue that the widening is critical to decongest the area, improve connectivity to the Cantonment side, and prepare the corridor for future infrastructure projects, including planned underground Metro works nearby.

Why Opposition Has Not Faded

Despite the renewed push, local opposition has remained strong. The core issue continues to be the compensation model being offered to affected property owners. Instead of cash pay outs, authorities are offering Transferable Development Rights, or TDR certificates.

Residents and traders along Tannery Road say TDRs are difficult to monetise and do not help them meet immediate needs such as relocating homes, restarting businesses, or repaying loans. Many insist that cash compensation is the only viable option if the project is to move ahead smoothly.

Fear of Losing Livelihoods

Tannery Road is not just a traffic corridor but a tightly packed commercial and residential zone. Small shops, workshops, and family-run businesses line the stretch, many of which face partial or complete demolition if the widening goes ahead.

Shopkeepers fear that losing frontage or entire structures could permanently disrupt their livelihoods. For families dependent on daily business income, uncertainty around compensation has amplified anxiety, even as the project re-enters the spotlight after years of dormancy.

A Road Still Caught in Limbo

While authorities say some property owners have agreed to the terms, a significant section continues to resist, keeping the project in a stalemate. Traffic congestion on Tannery Road remains severe, affecting commuters every day, but progress on widening remains slow.

A decade later, the challenge remains the same: how to balance Bengaluru’s growing mobility needs with the economic survival of those who live and work along its most crowded streets. Until that balance is found, Tannery Road’s widening may once again remain only a plan on paper.

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