The 10 lane Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway is on track to meet its revised deadline of October 2022. This ambitious project aims to reduce the travel time between the two cities to 75 minutes from the present three hours.
“The Bengaluru – Mysuru expressway will enhance connectivity between the two important cities and provide an impetus to tourism and economy in the region. Its construction work is nearing completion and will be completed by October 2022,” Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said in a tweet in August 2021.
10-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru Economic Corridor is being constructed at record speed. Rs 8172 Cr economic corridor is likely to be completed by October 2022. It will reduce the travel time between the two cities by half from current 3 hours to only 90 minutes. #PragatiKaHighway pic.twitter.com/6RW4zv1LnY
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) August 11, 2021
Executed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase I, the economic corridor project between the two major cities of Karnataka is estimated to cost over Rs 8,000 crore. Developed in two packages, The first package runs from Bengaluru to Nidaghatta in Maddur taluk, and the second package connects Nidaghatta to Mysuru.
Built by the Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon, the project looks to convert the present four-lane highway into a six-lane. It will also have four service lanes and paved shoulders for two-wheelers and autorickshaws on both sides of the road. The speed limit on these after the up-gradation will be 100 kmph.
In an interview to The New Indian Express, a top NHAI official said that 83% work was completed in Phase-I that runs to 56.2 km, while 78% had been completed in Phase-II that runs to 61.1 km. The expressway’s scope of work consists of the construction of an 8 km long elevated corridor, nine major bridges, 42 minor bridges, 64 underpasses, 11 overpasses, four Rail Over Bridges (ROB) and five bypasses. It also has three elevated corridors in Bengaluru, Maddur and Srirangapatna.
The much-awaited development project will not only benefit travellers between Bengaluru and Mysuru. It would also link to other important destinations within the state like Mangaluru and Coorg while also benefitting travellers to Kerala. The expressway project has faced many delays which have led to its deadlines being pushed. From Land Acquisition, shortage of manpower and materials, as well as the two Covid waves, the project will finally see the light of the day.
Source: India Infrahub, TNIE
