Bengaluru-Chennai expressway to reduce logistics cost by 6 per cent, says Gadkari

Bengaluru: "The cost of logistics in the country is high when compared with the cost of foreign countries", said Union Minister for Roads and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday and hoped that the under construction Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway will not only reduce travel time but also bring down the logistics costs by about 4 to 6 per cent from the present 14-16 per cent in the country.

The high logistics costs is a big problem for exports, he observed and stated that the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway will help reduce logistics costs by connecting to a port in Chennai.

“The aim is to reduce the logistics costs to a single digit,” hoped the Minister while interacting with the media persons after conducting an aerial survey of Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. In comparison to the logistics costs in other countries, Nitin Gadkari said, in the United States it is about 12 per cent, it is about 8 to 10 per cent in China and about 12 per cent in European countries but it is about 16 per cent in our country.

On the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway, Nitin Gadkari stated that the travel time between the two metropolitan cities is presently about 5 hours covering a distance of about 300-km and with the Expressway, the travel time will be down to 2.15 hours and the distance will also be shortened to 262-kms by about 38-km. The Expressway has been designed to travel at a speed of 120 kmph.

He stated that out of 262-km Expressway, works on 231-km has begun and the remaining 31-km works will be initiated in March 2023 and he hoped the Expressway between Bengaluru-Chennai will be ready by March 2024. A meeting will be held with Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai seeking forest clearance for the Expressway at the earliest.

Gadkari said for the construction of underpasses for wild animals along the Expressways and pointed out at Mumbai-Pune Expressway, there are underpasses and in place of making overpasses and making them underpasses. If forest cover is thick, he said, “We will change the alignment of the Expressway.”

Besides, with the help of expertise, trees felled for the Expressways will be transplanted on the sides of the Expressways.