Zip to Mysuru in 90 minutes on 10-lane highway

BENGALURU: It promises to be a dream project, making it possible to drive from the city to Mysuru in a mere 90 minutes as against the two- and-a-half hours it now takes during week days and the four hours on weekends.

If all goes well  work on the 60 meter  wide 10-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway that promises to cut travel time between the two cities could begin by December. The land acquisition for the project , which needs around 2,200 acres,  is nearly complete and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has sent notices to landowners to claim compensation.

The  118-km long expressway will have six main lanes and two service lanes on either side besides bypasses running around  major towns in Bidadi, Ramanagaram, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna, enroute to Mysuru

Sources in the Public Works Department said of the 10 lanes, six  would be tolled and two lanes each on either side would act as service roads. “The expressway could cost Rs 3,600 crore to build,  excluding the Rs 2,300 crore required for  land acquisition. We are expecting little resistance from landowners as we are paying them four times the market value. We are arriving at an average price based on sale transactions in the respective sub-registrar offices over the last six months,’’  said an officer.

President of the Bidadi Industrial Association, Rajendra Hegde , who has been in touch with NHAI on the project, says initially no bypass was planned for Bidadi, but was included after much persuasion. “As nearly 2,000 vehicles go in and out of the Bidadi industrial area, the bypass will come as a major relief to the industries here,’’ he added.    

The detailed project report submitted by the consultant,  Secon, had suggested bypasses all along the major towns where traffic hold-ups add to travel time, according to him . “Currently over a lakh vehicles use the Bengaluru-Mysuru route on the weekends. The expressway will take away at least 40 per cent of this traffic , leaving only the rest for the  existing four-lane highway between the two cities,’’ Mr Hegde said.

But picking fault in the project, one expert warned the service lanes could become parking lots like in the case of Hosur Road.