Travel From Bengaluru To Chennai In Under 3 Hrs Soon; 71-Km Stretch Of THIS Expressway To Open By Nov-End

Bengaluru/Chennai: A temple that had delayed work on the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway has now been relocated, allowing construction to proceed swiftly on the remaining 400-metre section, according to an official from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Bengaluru.The Karnataka portion of the expressway spans 71 km out of the total 260 km, and is set to be completed and opened to traffic by the end of the month. The official noted that a temple near Hoskote at Jinnagara Cross had previously slowed down progress due to the need for relocation. Now, with the temple moved, construction is advancing to finalise the remaining stretch within the month, as per a New Indian Express report.The Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway, which will pass through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, is South India’s first greenfield expressway project. Developed at a cost of Rs 17,900 crore, the expressway is designed to support speeds of up to 120 kmph, potentially reducing travel time between the two cities from the current six hours to less than three. Construction in Karnataka was divided into three segments: Package 1 from Hoskote to Malur (27.1 km), Package 2 from Malur to Bangarpet (27.1 km), and Package 3 from Bangarpet to Bethamangala (17.5 km).Although Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had initially aimed for the expressway’s full completion by March this year, delays in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu mean it is now likely to open entirely next year. In the interim, Karnataka’s completed sections will be accessible, allowing travel from Bengaluru to Malur and Bangarpet.