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Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to get ₹711 crore safety upgrade amid accidents: Report
The central government has allocated ₹711.72 crore for safety upgrades on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, addressing frequent accidents due to poor design.
The central government has approved a fund of ₹711.72 crore for significant safety and infrastructure enhancements on the Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway. This 118-km, six-lane highway, which cost nearly ₹9,000 crore to build, has experienced frequent accidents since its inauguration three years ago, mainly due to poorly designed access points, lack of service roads, and inadequate pedestrian facilities, the Bangalore Mirror reported.
Despite being an important route connecting Bengaluru and Mysuru, several segments of the expressway, particularly around Bidadi and Mandya, have faced criticism for incomplete or missing service roads and poorly planned entry and exit ramps. These flaws have contributed to many accidents, leading to widespread calls for better infrastructure, including pedestrian underpasses, bus bays, and toll systems based on actual travel distance, the report stated.
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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will be responsible for executing a comprehensive upgrade over the next two years. Plans include constructing 14 new access ramps with toll plazas on both sides to allow toll collection based on distance travelled, thereby benefiting local commuters who currently pay flat fees. Additionally, 22.5 km of service roads will be added, improving connectivity along the expressway, it added.
Other key additions in the project include seven pedestrian underpasses, three railway overbridges, a flyover near Mysuru’s Manipal Hospital junction, 35 bus shelters, and two truck bays. The contract for this extensive work has been awarded, although the formal start date has not yet been announced.
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A representative from NHAI spoke to reporters and said that the revamped tolling system is a major advantage, as it will charge commuters fairly according to the stretch they use instead of a uniform fee. The new service roads and bus shelters are also expected to reduce traffic congestion, enhancing overall commuter safety and convenience, the report further stated.
