The Bengaluru-Mysuru Express Corridor is likely to be opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the first week of March 2023.
Major sections of the 117-kilometre highway, that runs from the NICE entry in Bengaluru to Ring Road Junction in Mysuru, are slated to open in January 2023.
This project under Bharatmala Pariyojana (BMP), involves six laning of National Highway (NH)-275 along with two-lane service roads on both sides, making it a 10-lane highway. It consists of both brownfield and greenfield sections.
The expressway, taken up with over Rs 8,000 crore, reduces travel time between the major cities of Karnataka to less than 90 minutes from the current three hours.
The expressway project is being developed under two packages. The first one runs from Bengaluru to Nidaghatta in Maddur taluk for around 56 km. The second package, which is 61 km long, connects Nidaghatta to Mysuru.
Bhopal-based Dilip Buildcon was awarded the contract to construct both the packages — 56 km from Bengaluru to Nidagatta and 61 km from Nidagatta to Mysore.
The scope of the work also includes the construction of an 8-km-long elevated corridor, nine major bridges, 42 minor bridges, 64 underpasses, 11 overpasses, four Road-Over-Bridges (ROBs) and five bypasses.
Three elevated corridors are being built, including a 5 km section in the outskirts of Bengaluru, a 3 km section in Maddur, and the third one in Srirangapatna.
This expressway stretch consists of six bypasses at Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channarayapatna, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna. These are expected to reduce traffic congestion and enhance road safety.
Prathap Simha, Member of Parliament for Mysuru-Kodagu, stated that the main highway is currently operational until Maddur in Mandya district. This is a 40-minute drive from Kumbalgodu in Bengaluru.
In another four to five days, a bypass near Maddur will be opened and by December end, a bypass near Mandya will be thrown open for users.
“By January, the carriageway till Mysuru will be opened,” he said. This apart, construction of food courts and restrooms will take some time, he added, reports The New Indian Express.
“New India of the 21st Century is focused on building the best infrastructure facilities in the world. Keeping it in mind, the project for Six laning of Bengaluru Nidaghatta Section of NH-275 is progressing ahead with lots of promises,” Union Minister for Roads and Highways, Nitin Gadkari said in a series of tweets.
Gadkari said that the Bangalore to Nidaghatta section is a crucial stretch to tourism and the economy as it passes through the towns of Bidadi, Channapatana and Ramanagara, having the largest market for silk cocoons in Asia and provides access to the country’s only vulture sanctuary and will be connecting Srirangapatna, Mysore, Ooty, Kerala and Coorg.