An expressway firmly in focus

Besides the clamour among political parties claiming credit for the project, there is much debate about who the expressway benefits and who it doesn’t, and whether the toll collected is justified

Perhaps the most talked about and high-profile infrastructure project in the State in recent times, the Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway continues to be in the news even after being thrown open to the public.

While last year, the expressway hit national headlines after underpasses were flooded following unprecedented rain in Ramanagara, over the past few days, the project has been in the news after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) started collecting the toll for vehicles using the stretch between Bengaluru and Nidaghatta with effect from March 14.

Apart from the clamour among political parties claiming credit for the project, there is much debate about who the expressway benefits and who it doesn’t, and whether the toll collected is justified.

Work on the 117 km project was taken up in two phases: Bengaluru to Nidaghatta (56.2 km) and Nidaghatta to Mysuru (61.04 km). It’s a six-lane main carriageway and two lanes of service roads on either side. The construction was started in May 2019, and a deadline of June 2022 was initially fixed. When sanctioned, the project was expected to cost ₹7,836 crore. However, according to the revised estimate, it has jumped to ₹8,478 crore (including the land acquisition cost).  

On many occasions, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has claimed that once the expressway is opened, the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru will decrease from three hours to 75 minutes. Hitherto, motorists relied on the 4-lane highway. However, because of factors like traffic density and intervening towns between the cities, the travel time was over three hours.

The expressway bypasses towns such as Bidadi, Ramangara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, and Srirangapatna. The total length of the bypasses is 51 km. Other prominent features include an elevated corridor of 8 km, 10 major bridges, 43 minor bridges and four road-over-rail bridges. The NHAI maintains that the expressway will help people reach tourism destinations such as Ooty, Wayanad, Madikeri, Bandipur and Srirangapanta much faster.

Raghunath M., who often travels to Madikeri from Bengaluru, said, “A drive on the old highway was a nightmarish experience. It had many traffic bottlenecks. The new road has cut travel time drastically. Motorists do not mind paying a toll for good infrastructure. My friends who use the expressway also say it’s a big relief.”