The project to revamp the existing National Highway 275 to a 10-lane Economic Corridor is expected to be completed by October 2022, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday, August 11. This mega project, spanning 117 km, has been divided into two projects, between Bengaluru and Nidagatta and Nidagatta and Mysuru respectively. As of April end, around 67.5% of the first package and about 50% of the second package have been completed, according to Prasar Bharati. Once completed, this road is expected to cut travel time between the two cities from the current three hours to just 90 minutes.
The 10-lane project includes a six-lane access-controlled carriageway for traffic, and a two-lane service road on either side, which can be used for local traffic. The stretches of the highway that have been completed are already seeing vehicles travelling through them, and this has already contributed to easing traffic, former Deputy CM Govind Karjol, who also held the Public Works Department portfolio, reportedly told the Legislative Council in February.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari shared images of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Economic Corridor project on Wednesday. He wrote, “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.” The images shared by the Minister include that of an elevated road structure and a stretch with clearly demarcated lanes, in various stages of construction.
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
The upgraded highway will bypass towns like Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Mandya and Maddur, which fall enroute between Mysuru and Bengaluru. The project was sanctioned in 2019 and the government had announced at the time that it would be completed by September 2022.
Watch this video of glimpses of the construction process of the upgraded Bengaluru-Mysuru highway: